Product Description
Noise and air pollution from motor vehicles have a major impact on the physical and mental well-being of urban residents worldwide. Although control measures have already been implemented in most developed countries, noise and air pollution have only recently become major problems in many developing countries, as rapid industrial growth, population increase and improved living standards have led to an increase in car ownership. If control measures are not implemented swiftly in developing countries, the effects on public health will be extremely serious.This book, which has been prepared by WHO in collaboration with the Ecotoxicology Service of the Department of Public Health in Geneva, discusses global trends in noise and air pollution from motor vehicles, their effects on public health, and the control measures available. ... Read more

Product Description
*As many as 1 billion people, mostly women and children, are regularly exposed to indoor air pollution levels exceeding WHO guidelines by up to 100 times
*Nearly three-fifths of total global exposure to air pollutants occurs in the rural areas of developing countries. Worldwide, this translates into as many as 3 million deaths a year

At every level of economic development, ambient air pollution poses a serious challenge that cannot be left to the private initiative

This book addresses issues of particular importance to developing countries where polluting activities have been growing, but local research and preventive and protective measures are still at an early stage. Recent decades have seen considerable advances in the epidemiology of air pollution, changes in the international air pollution guidelines, and the emergence of more systematic approaches to air pollution prevention and control. There is an evident gap in the literature on air pollution and health; this book will fill this gap with a coherent series of chapters commissioned from leading researchers in both the scientific and policy dimensions of air pollution and health. ... Read more

Product 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

Customer Reviews (15)

Original, Grounded, a Foundation Book
Published in 2002, this is a foundation book within the twelve books on Water that I am reading, with all reviews both here and at Phi Beta Iota the Public Intelligence Blog where you can easily use Reviews/Water to see all my reviews of books on water.

Right up front the author impresses me with her discussion of the paradigm war--a culture clash--between those who see water as sacred and its provision as a duty for the preservation of water, and those that view water as a commodity and its exploitation for profit as a fundamental corporate right.

Up front she lists and discusses the key lessons she has drawn:

01Nondemocratic economic systems that centralize control over decision making and resources and displace people from productive employment and livelihoods create a culture of insecurity.

02Destruction of resource rights and erosion of democratic control of natural resources, the economy, and means of production undermine cultural identity.See my reviews of the Hidden Wealth of Nations, Identity Economics, and The Politics of Happiness.

03Centralized economic systems also erode the democratic base of politics.

I am sure she sets people off when she speaks of the "double fascism of globalization" as well as "corporate terrorism" but the bottom line is that corporate control of government is fascism, and its time We the People woke up to all the wrong that is being done "in our name."Those who really understand ecological economics as pioneered by Herman Daly understand that "true cost" is the measure, and that the truth at any cost reduces all other costs.This is a book of truths, including the truth that the computer industry is a bigger water polluter than traditional companies.

The entire book is a "tour of the horizon" that captures the essence of what is covered in more depth in the other books listed below.I am especially taken with her Principles of Water Democracy:

01Water is nature's gift
02Water is essential to life.
03Life is interconnected through water.
04Water must be free for sustenance needs.
05Water is limited and can be exhausted.
06Water must be conserved.
07Water is a commons.
08No one holds a right to destroy.
09Water cannot be substituted.

The author skirts topics covered in more depth in such books at The Next Catastrophe: Reducing Our Vulnerabilities to Natural, Industrial, and Terrorist Disasters; and Acts of God: The Unnatural History of Natural Disaster in America, so this is by no means an end all book, but it is a foundation book.We are the ones responsible for environmental degradation including the paving over of wetlands and the damming of rivers as well as the ignorant and complacent externalization by corporations of all environmental costs of water exploitation they do not own and should not be allowed to expropriate.

Chapters on the global corporate control network including the World Bank, and on the unsustainable costs of industrialized agriculture.Her final two chapters (this is a short book, quick read, excellent notes) focus on the importance of both indigenous knowledge in conserving every drop of water, and on the importance of assuring that natural resources are properly valued and not just commoditized with financial values that are at best arbitrary if not downright corrupt.I am reminded of both 1491, and of E. O. Wilson's The Future of Life.

Other books I have reviewed or am reviewing this week include:

The Atlas of Water, Second Edition: Mapping the World's Most Critical Resource
Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource
The World's Water 2008-2009: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources
The Evolution of the Law and Politics of Water
Governing Water: Contentious Transnational Politics and Global Institution Building (Global Environmental Accord: Strategies for Sustainability and Institutional Innovation)
Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power, and Civilization
Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop the Corporate Theft of the World's Water
Whose Water Is It?: The Unquenchable Thirst of a Water-Hungry World
Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water
The Blue Death: The Intriguing Past and Present Danger of the Water You Drink

Inspiring, but be wary, readers
Resource scarcity has been the basis of arguably most of the world's deadliest and longest-lasting conflicts. From wars waged in the Democratic Republic of Congo over precious minerals to multinational conflicts between countries along the Tigris and Euphrates, the access and control of resources have been causes in substantial loss of ecological integrity and human lives. In her book Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution and Profit, Vandana Shiva demonstrates the deadly effects of current water resource management practices and the "water wars" that have risen from recent policies. Shiva defines water wars as being either a traditional war, fought with weapons and strategy, or a paradigm war, a subtler conflict with deep roots in socioeconomic systems.

In an expressive manner, Shiva introduces the recent water problems as rooted in major shifts in the management of this resource. The first chapter sets-up the dichotomy between the traditional management of water and a market-based approach to resource ownership. According to Shiva, "more than any other resource, water needs to remain a common good and requires community management" (19). In her home country of India and in many other traditional societies throughout time, this was, and in a few remaining cases, is still the wisdom that dictates the use of water. A change in management principles, from a communally-held necessity to a privately-owned commodity, lead to the complete disregard of inherent human rights. People began to take a backseat to corporate interests, and Shiva structures chapters 2-5 as forum to analyze how the alteration of management has led to intense conflict. Broad topics she expands upon in this section of the book include climate change, the diversion and damming of rivers, the production of food, and large international governing organizations such as the World Trade Organization and the World Bank. All of these chapters reassert how power in managing water has shifted from many hands to an elite few. Like in all wars, the conflicts presented here describe the definite threats to their security and livelihood with the loss of their personal control.

Water Wars is well thought-out and sincere approach to current water crises. My attention was held the entire time through the clever interplay of anecdotes, case studies, and hard science. The struggle between traditional systems and capitalism remained a pervasive theme throughout the book, and examples of injustice and abuse were constantly emerging. There were times when I had to put the book down because my sentiments and emotions were on high alert; Shiva uses her grace and knowledge to present issues from India, a place so near to her heart. Still, it goes without saying that this book definitely lacked as a piece of academic literature. Although this was a very impassioned and comprehensive book, I found Water Wars to be written rather haphazardly and with little regard to academic integrity. Even though it is only 139 pages, the book manages to become rather redundant by the end. Shiva never maintained an unbiased approach to the topic, making it a heavy-handed ridicule neocolonialism. I sometimes felt as if I were listening to a broken record. Yet, her solutions for altering the way we manage water are inspiring, calling for citizens to become engaged in the fight towards gaining shared power of natural resources. Shiva also does an excellent job of weaving in cultural and spiritual attitudes towards water bodies.

In conclusion, Water Warsby Vandana Shiva is a thorough investigation of the social justice issues that surround the administration of water. It is an excellent text for someone desiring a positional account of resource allocation and management, as well as an involved activists perspective on the topic. This book, however, is not a stepping stone into the scientific and academic assessment of water crises; it is far too loaded with personal voice and opinion to be considered a candidate for unbiased literature. If you are in the market for a book on sensational water politics, then look no further.

Informative but lacking...
After reading Water Wars and going back through some things in the book I believe that many people will find this book interesting and informative.Shiva seems to believe that the root of all these wars is our disconnection from the water.We turn on a faucet and voila, water.Who cares where it came from, how much there is or where it's going.Now, take that and mix it with socio-political-economic factors and you can see why we are just beginning to see the emergence of water wars.

Those looking for any sort of solution towater wars should look elsewhere.She has the grassroots mentality that water need not be privatized but run and managed by the people who use it.I fully agree but the problem remains this is simply impossible for the majority of systems already entrenched.

Ultimately, if you have an interest in the state of water on a global scale this is a good book to get you started and asking questions.

P.S. I believe John Wesley Powell was quoted out of context on pg. 54.I have a hard time imagining that Powell said that rivers are wasting into the sea in the context of we should dam the Colorado.

The Single Most Important Book You Can Read Today
the global water crisis is the biggest issue we will face in our lifetimes and not much is being done. This book puts things in a human light and makes solutions seem possible.
Stop Bottled Water Industries
Protect Global Commons
[...]

Don't waste your money
Written by a so called academic, this is a series of essays which nevershould have been published. Over -priced and over reviewed,whoever approved of publishing this travesty should be fired. ... Read more

Product Description
A text/reference for civil and chemical engineers working in the environmental fields. It employs a unit operations approach, as well as case histories, and includes sections on chemical oxidation and land treatment. The second edition deals with an important topic of today, industrial pollution, and also includes more end-of-chapter problems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Importance of The Laws of Thermodynamics in Every Facet of Our Lives.
When I completed reading Jack Hokikian's The Science of Disorder: Understanding the Complexity, Uncertainty, and Pollution of Our World, I was reminded of Albert Einstein's brilliant observation of The Laws of Thermodynamics when he stated: "The more impressive a Theory, the greater is the simplicity of its premises, the more different are the kinds of things it relates and the more extended its range of applicability."

Hokikian, who received his Ph.D in experimental nuclear physics from the a University of Southern California, contends that in order to comprehend why our rapidly changing world is becoming more complex, disorderly, and polluted, we must refer to the discipline of thermodynamics for the answers.

The introductory chapters of the book provide us with a better understanding of the origination of these laws and their modern scope of applicability.
In addition, Hokikian explains in layman terms the first two Laws of Thermodynamics wherein we are informed that the first law is a statement of the conservation of energy, while the second is the direction of that energy. It should be pointed out that Thermodynamics is the study of the inter-relation between heat, work and the internal energy of a system and they came about while studying heat and heat engines.
From here we learn that the first law states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another. The amount of energy in the universe is constant. The Second Law pertains to entropy and Hokikian points out that entropy increases in all processes in an irreversible manner. Hokikian tells us that Physicists identify entropy as a measure of the disorder of a thermodynamic system. In other words, it exacts a tax from all our activities by increasing the disorder of our thermodynamic system.

Since the time these laws were conceived, they have become some of the most important laws of all science and very often they are associated with concepts that have far more reaching effects than it would appear. As Hokikian illustrates and exposes, their applicability applies to cosmology, agriculture, economics, chemistry, psychology, medicine, education, ecology, technology, weather patterns, social behavior, nuclear fission, and almost to everything. In other words, as mentioned, "the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics govern all processes and activities-from physical, chemical, and biological to economic, social and intellectual." They allow us to see the whole picture and not confine us to narrow interpretations which are so often prevalent among many of our present day specialists.

Hokikian has culled many scientific journals and other writings to put together a highly readable account of the importance of these laws. His synopsis of how mechanization of agriculture and the reliance of fertilizers and pesticides have affected humans and our environment is an eye-opener.
As he points out, the transition from horses to tractors, humans replaced an essentially renewable source of energy with a nonrenewable one. However, what is more important is the input of fossil fuel energy per hectare is often substantially greater than the energy yield contained in the food produced. As mentioned, "although it appears that high-intensity agriculture is extremely efficient, the discipline of thermodynamics gives this technique failing marks because the system often operates, energy wise, with a deficit."
We may have benefited from the use of fertilizers, but the benefits are not without costly ramifications. Although there have been important increases in the production of food, this has come about at the expense of massive increases in entropy. Just look at the runoff of chemical fertilizers into rivers, lakes, and subterranean waters and its effects on the environment!

Another interesting and fascinating chapter is the relationship of the Laws of Thermodynamics to Economics wherein Hokikian contends that economic laws and views are presented by economists without any mention of the law of Nature. As a result, whenever a new economic ideology or policy is put forward there is no accounting for the Laws of Thermodynamics. In other words, their view of the economic system is purely mechanical that can be controlled at will without any entropy increases. Government intervention in economic activities of a nation in an attempt to control its behavior invariably creates turbulence-entropy-in the socioeconomic system. As a Canadian, I don't have to look very far when I consider the disastrous effects price controls exacted on the Canadian economy that were implemented in the 1970s or the Canadian energy policy that was attributed to the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and which was laterscrapped by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.

Although, I have to admit that I did struggle with the first few chapters of the book (Science has never been my forté), it all came together when Hokikian shows the practical applicability of the Laws of Thermodynamics to many of today's hot button issues wherein our behavior patterns very often have zero concern for the human and environmental damage they cause.

Beyond doubt, The Science of Disorder: Understanding the Complexity, Uncertainty, and Pollution of Our World is an important contribution in helping the layman to understand the significance of the Laws of Thermodynamics pertaining to their wide application affecting every facet of our lives.

Norm Goldman, Editor Bookpleasures

Inherently interesting & exceptionally well written
The Science Of Disorder by Jack Hokikian is a thoughtful and thought-provoking examination of how increasing human population, globalization, and technological advances come with harmful side effects such as new diseases, electronic viruses, environmental degradation, and more. With an eye on how the Laws of Thermodynamics, Energy, and Entropy affect all the processes in the universe (including daily human life), The Science Of Disorder strives to make sense of a seeming disarray, while addressing a keen interest in the big picture and what it means for humanity's future. The Science Of Disorder is sometimes iconoclastic, inherently interesting, exceptionally well written, and a highly recommended addition to Environmental Studies, General Science, and Human Ecology Studies reading lists and reference collections.

An excellent view into the Laws of Thermodynamics
When I picked up this book ("The Science of Disorder, Understanding the Complexity, Uncertainty, and Pollution in Our World") two thoughts crossed my mind, first I am not qualified to understand it, and second, this may be a book in the line of "Physics for Dummies".Much to my surprise, neither of these thoughts came to fruition, Dr. Hokikian finds a way to decompose the Laws of Thermodynamics in all its complexity and apply them to the reality of my day to day existence.This is a book for those interested in detailed study into Thermodynamics, as well as ones (like myself) interested in understanding the Physical Laws of nature and how they apply.This is not to say that after I read this book I now comprehend Boltzmann's Entropy Relation (I did not in college, and still struggle with it), but I now can appreciate it.Or better stated by "stealing" words from Dr. Hokikian, when I read these concepts I can understand them "from the simplicity of the equation [and] also from the agreement between its theoretical predictions and actual experimental observations."

How the natural "disorder" of things affects all of us
This amazing book is a wonderful explanation of why so many disturbing and seemingly "chaotic" world events are occurring and what we could do to mitigate their effects. Jack Hokikian, a real scientist in the true meaning of the word, has taken a difficult yet critically important subject and created a "must-read" book for anyone who cares about our future on this increasingly crowded planet.Dr. Hokikian clearly describes the Laws of Thermodynamics and uses them to explain the accelerating "rush to disorder" which we are all experiencing in our daily lives.Far from being a dry dissertation about little-understood laws of Physics, Dr. Hokikian's brilliant and entertaining book brings home with a loud bang the critical importance of understanding the impacts of our universe's immutable physical laws and why we, and particularly our leaders, must be made to fully understand these impacts. He uses many rivetting examples from real life to clearly illustrate the chaos and disorder around us along with equally clearly explained causes and effects.
This beautiful book, in clear everyday language, spells out exactly why we see such increasing chaos and disorder around us and how we got to this point and how, once we understand this, we can slow down and perhaps even reverse this frightening process.
The author, Dr. Hokikian is no wild-eyed "mad scientist" nor is he a fanatical "tree-hugger".He is a University Physics Professor, a successful professional engineer and a highly-respected Database Systems designer.
I fully recommend this book to all who want to understand our world better.Practising scientists and engineers as well as laypersons with genuinely "inquiring minds" will gain tremendous insight and knowledge from this book while being entertained by Dr. Hokikian's lucid and elegant, non-patronizing writing style.

Entropy in Everyday Life
Once in a great while, an unknown author seems to come out of nowhere with a work destined to alter our thinking about everyday life and its problems.In "The Science of Disorder" we receive the key to understanding the chaos in our world.We also can discern a touch of optimism that by gaining understanding of the laws of physics, we can help alter the course of humankind for the better.
It is sobering to learn that the immutable laws of physics that underlie our existence make it virtually impossible for technology to solve our problems on this crowded planet.The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that the entropy or disorder of the universe tends to increase.Hokikian points out that while we do not use the term entropy much outside of physics, synonyms in the everyday lexicon include "waste, complexity, externalities, side effects, collateral effects, hidden costs, and unintended consequences."
In a chapter entitled "Economics, the Environment, and the Laws of Thermodynamics", Hokikian discusses the economics of computers and technology.Rapid obsolescence reigns, creating high entropy.There are obvious and hidden costs to buying and maintaining the technology.The consequences are degradation rather than improvement in the quality of life, with pollution from the manufacture and disposal of the equipment, and the dissipation of capital and knowledge.(Well, there are exceptions, like Amazon.com!)
But the book leaves us with the hope by learning about the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics, we can improve our lives and slow the deterioration of our planet. ... Read more

Product Description
Light-pollution is the modern scourge of optical astronomy. More and more observing sites are being lost as the glare of city lighting blots out the night sky. Professional astronomical observatories are located far from cities, but amateur astronomers often do not have this luxury. This book considers the two available strategies open to astronomers - get rid of the light pollution by lobbying authorities and standards organisations, and minimize its effects by using the correct instrumentation. The book contains an extensive detailed catalogue of deep-sky and other objects that - despite what one might believe - can be seen from variously light-polluted sites, for practical observers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A comprehensive, useful, much needed book
I recently started to research the subject of light pollution because I live in a fairly rural area that's being developed rapidly. I want to help educate and influence the policy makers and developers, if I can, to make smart choices regarding lighting as they plan their ball fields with stadium lights, their subdivisions, and their various towers.

I went online and discovered that there are more than a million web sites that address the subject of light pollution. More than a million sites! I had information overload big time and didn't know where to start.

Then I discovered Bob Mizon's book, Light Pollution. What a relief! It defines the problem of light pollution and gives us practical guidelines and step-by-step solutions to combat it. We've got to educate ourselves and others about the serious hazards of light pollution and what we can do about it. This book is a great resource for everyone's personal library. -- Kathleen Hawkins, president of winningspirit.com and author of Spirit Incorporated: How to Follow Your Spiritual Path from 9 to 5

Timely book on an important subject
Light pollution is -- or should be -- a concern of astronomers throughout the inhabited regions of the Earth. This is, to my best knowledge, the first book to directly address those concerns in detail.

The book is in three sections plus copious appendices and an index. The first section discusses the physiology of human vision, defines the nature and consequences (not only astronomical) of light pollution, and considers changes in attitude to and technology of lighting. This serves as an excellent introduction to the problem.

The second section shows how astronomy may be continued, despite light pollution, by technological 'fixes', such as light pollution reduction (LPR) filters and CCD imaging. One hundred objects suitable for visual observation from light-polluted skies are suggested and described. Techniques of observation in light-polluted skies are also suggested. It is this section of the book that is most likely to be criticised by those concerned that it may imply that, since astronomy in light-polluted skies is possible, the problem itself is not as great as activists suggest. I would suggest that it is only by showing people
what is visible in these skies that an interest in astronomy can be established and maintained, thus leading to (hopefully) a will to address the problem.

In the final section, the book discusses remedies; briefly these are technological (good lighting), legal (legislation to control poor lighting), and social (educating people as to the problem). The appendices that follow provide good material (including the debunking of common lighting myths) for anyone who wishes to involve him (or her) self in combating this source of aesthetic degradation.

Obviously, this book will be of great use as a 'handbook' for anyone involved in the activities of the Campaign for Dark Skies (CfDS) or the International Dark-sky Association (IDA), but its appeal is wider than that. It is also useful for those who undertake astronomy under brightly-lit skies, both as a guide to what may be achieved, but also with suggestions as to how such astronomers may help to have their skies improved. There is a slight UK emphasis, but the book has international appeal.

Shining through the lively style of the very well-written text is the author's passion for astronomy in general and his knowledge gained over many years as co-ordinator of the CfDS. The copious photographs, most of which are in colour, serve to enhance the text.

In short, this is a very good book, which is very readable, covering a subject of importance. Recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
"Clean Water" is a book for anyone who is concerned about this precious resource and wants to become better informed. In straightforward language, Kenneth Vigil provides a comprehensive introduction to the many scientific, regulatory, and geographic issues associated with water quality and water pollution control.

Most other books on water quality and pollution control are highly technical and very specific, and are aimed at engineers, scientists, or attorneys. "Clean Water," on the other hand, is a comprehensive discussion of the subject intended for a wider audience of science students, educators, and concerned citizens.

Using photos and diagrams to illustrate and explain concepts, Vigil provides sufficient detail to educate readers about many broad topics and includes additional references at the end of each chapter for exploring specific topics in more detail.

"Clean Water" summarizes the basic fundamentals of water chemistry and microbiology and outlines important water quality rules and regulations, all in concise, understandable prose. It describes the basic scientific principles behind water pollution control and the broader approach of addressing water pollution problems through watershed management. There are sections on drinking water and a concluding chapter entitled "Getting Personal about Clean Water" about citizen involvement at home and in the community. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Buy
The product was in great condition and it arrived in good time. I would highly recommend the vendor. It was just what I was looking for and a t a good price. ... Read more

Product Description
Who has been at the political forefront of clean air policy development in the United States? In The Politics of Air Pollution, George A. Gonzalez argues that the answer is neither the federal government, nor environmental groups, but rather locally oriented economic elites in conjunction with state and local governments. These local growth coalitions, composed of mostly large landholders, land developers, and the owners of regional media and utility firms, support clean air policies insofar as they contribute to the creation of a positive investment climate and, in turn, bring about greater profits through increased land values and an expanded local consumer base. ... Read more

Product Description
By examining environmental change through the lens of conflicting social agendas, Andrew Hurley uncovers the historical roots of environmental inequality in contemporary urban America.Hurley's study focuses on the steel mill community of Gary, Indiana, a city that was sacrificed, like a thousand other American places, to industrial priorities in the decades following World War II. Although this period witnessed the emergence of a powerful environmental crusade and a resilient quest for equality and social justice among blue-collar workers and African Americans, such efforts often conflicted with the needs of industry. To secure their own interests, manufacturers and affluent white suburbanites exploited divisions of race and class, and the poor frequently found themselves trapped in deteriorating neighborhoods and exposed to dangerous levels of industrial pollution.

In telling the story of Gary, Hurley reveals liberal capitalism's difficulties in reconciling concerns about social justice and quality of life with the imperatives of economic growth. He also shows that the power to mold the urban landscape was intertwined with the ability to govern social relations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Different sectors of population affected differently by environmental degradation
In Environmental Inequalities, Andrew Hurley traces the dynamics of environmental degradation as experienced by three distinct sectors of society in Gary, Indiana, from 1945 to 1980. Hurley devotes a chapter to each of the particular demographics of three social classes affected by industrial pollution and expansion: white, middle class suburban families, working class whites, largely comprised of ethnic minorities including Serbians, Greeks, Russians, Romanians, Bulgarians, Croatians and Poles among others, and finally a large African-American population (over 35,000 African-American between 1920 and 1950) that migrated from the south in search of employment and improved prospects. Each group was affected by industrial waste in a different, though related, way and each took a unique approach to ameliorating problems specific to its particular group.
White middle class activism was largely led by well-educated stay-at-home moms whose primarily concern was preserving their quality of life. Their primary target was containing the spread of industry to their east side neighborhood (Miller) and preventing the spoilage of surrounding natural areas. They focused on extensive research, political lobbying and events (such as picnics) and personal contacts to meet their goals.
White working class families tended to stay close to ethnic neighborhoods and churches which meant that they continued to live in areas heavily affected by air and water pollution. Although the union (specifically the U.S. Steelworkers union) was an important protector of their wages, benefits and job safety and security, the union was not as interested in protecting their environmental conditions, particularly when that protection involved a perceived threat to the industry. Eventually church and worker leadership separate from the union ("labor movement radicals") organized around "ethnic power" in reaction to the civil rights movement to address issues "of immediate concern, ranging from garbage collection to taxes" (p. 105). Unlike, the white middle class population, workers' efforts were tempered by the concern over keeping their jobs.
African-Americans, after decades of employment in the most dangerous and low-paying sectors of U.S. Steel's factory, finally were able to rally around an African-American candidate for mayor, Richard Hatcher, who was able to make some gains notably in the area of housing by securing a $13 million federal grant. Though pollution was not at the top of Hatcher's priorities, over his 20 year tenure as mayor, he eventually became an important component of the coalition that addressed the appalling conditions, both for workers and residents, around the coke plant.
A particularly remarkable effort documented by Hurley, is the concerted effort involving all three of the demographic groups discussed in his book. In 1970, these groups were able to find a common ground of concern and combine their efforts to force U.S. Steel to rebuild coke oven doors and to decrease emissions through improved maintenance and by observing longer coking periods. This was significant not only because the groups worked together but also because for probably the first time, citizens did not defer to what U.S. Steel told them was technically feasible but demanded improvements based on their own research. The unique circumstances that led to this victory included the strength and visibility of the national environmental movement led by Ralph Nadar, a healthy economy (and job stability for working class whites and blacks), and greater interest at the national level as evidenced by increased funding for federal water and air pollution control agencies.
A well-written analysis and important slice of environmental history in the U.S. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the effects of pollution as experienced by different groups of people.
... Read more

Product Description
Provides all new material on urban, industrial, and highway pollution, as well as on management and restoration of streams, lakes, and watershed management techniques.
* Includes revised chapters on agricultural diffuse pollution; control of urban, highway, and industrial diffuse pollution; and wetlands considerations.
* All regulatory data is up to date, with new material provided on judicial law based on significant decisions made in recent years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

quite ok
there are a lot of typo and unit errors (this can be misleading to students). i got no choice , to buy this book as my text book. this book is good but not so many examples of problems to further understand it. explanation is also not well elaborated on some topics. (students need more explanation to understand). no exercise included to try. the contents are good though. This book is too expensive for a lot of errors and no examples/exercise. a moderate rating!

Awesome product, fast delivery, sweet price!
Great product and the price was $125 cheaper than what I could have gotten it for at the university bookstore.

Thank you.

Great Book for Dealing With NPS Pollution
This is a great book for dealing with Non-Point Source (NPS) pollution.It covers a fairly comprehensive list of topics, while not going into great depth on most.It gives you enough information to get a good start on just about ANY analysis related to NPS pollution and a solid beginning to expand your research from if more in-depth analysis is required.In my opinion, this is a great reference for anyone working in water quality, and a "must-have" for working with NPS. ... Read more

Product Description

How many electronic innovations have you dialed, watched, surfed, charged, listed to, booted up, commuted on, cooked with, and plugged in today?

Customer Reviews (16)

THE ONLY THING TO FEAR IS IGNORANCE
Ann Louise Gittleman is owed a debt of gratitude for taking a very complex subject and making it understandable for the layperson.

The health effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) might be framed as controversial because there are conflicting conclusions drawn by independent studies versus studies secretly funded by the wireless communication industry and the electric utility industry.Who will you believe?Studies paid for by those with much to loose or independent studies?

There are too many independent, peer-reviewed studies published in major medical journals showing a link between EMR and health to any longer ignore EMR exposure.Government regulations are based on erroneous assumption.They do not protect people.Those independent people who are in the know in this complex area are strongly recommending avoidance precautions because of the existing weight of evidence.See [...] and [...]

Beyond the studies that show a relationship between man-made electromagnetic energies and health issues, there are well known medical doctors who deal with once normal people with strange maladies.They see health effects in these patients from exposure to a range of man-made electromagnetic radiations.Are these people the canaries in the coal mine for the population at large?These doctors think so. Since they have focused on this area as their specialty, we fail to listen to these doctors, and we fail to heed these studies at our own peril.

Right now people you know and love are needlessly injured through ignorance of the facts. The only way to take precautions is to understand the nature of the threat, where it comes from and how it can be minimized.That is what Zapped so ably does.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.This book gives you power over your electromagnetic environment.Read it.Heed it.

Disclosure:I am the so-called incompetent technical person that reviewed Zapped as referenced in 'Return of the Fear Mongers'. Please check up on me on the Internet.

A Must-Read Book
I found Zapped fascinating reading, particularly for anyone who has kids or is concerned about children today. In clear, concise prose with ample documentation, Ann Louise Gittleman shows how we all are bathed in man-made electropollution from all our digital, electrical, and wireless gadgets, as well as citing research into the fall-out from this latest form of radiation. Alzheimer's, arrhrythemia, brain tumors, breast cancer, immune system problems, insomnia, leukemia, Lou Gehrig's disease, MS, and Type 3 diabetes are just some of the health concerns linked to electromagnetic pollution (EMFs).
While dangerous at any age, these risks wreak the gravest havoc on the developing fetus and child. Not only are the young smaller and have thinner skulls (making them more vulnerable to electropollution than adults), but they're also more likely to be using this technology for far longer than their parents. Gittleman cites research linking Moms' cell phone with later behavioral and learning problems in their offspring, and anyone involved in education knows how widespread learning problems are among our students today. Thankfully, Zapped has an entire chapter devoted to limiting young people's exposure to EMFs, whether from their own phones or WiFi in schools.
Best of us, the author gives us plenty of ways to limit our exposure, protecting ourselves and our children, without turning into Luddites. This book is a must-read for the 2lst century!

Roon Frost, coauthor of The Little Boy Book

An eyeopener and Inspirational on many levels
As a person that has worked within the world of natural medicine for more that 20 years and a licensed holistic health provider, I found this book to be thought provoking and eye opening.The most important part of the book is that Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman makes the information very "user friendly" without overwhelming the reader with a lot of scientific data which may be intimidating. She provides very useful and real solutions to epic problem of EMF waves and dirty electricity which are fast becoming thePink elephant in the room" that nobody wants to deal with or talk about. She exposes these "Inconvenient Truths" in a way that even the nah sayers will have a hard time denying.
The message that she is brings to light and forefront of our consciousness is revolutionary and I feel is the next big frontier in preventative medicine and preserving the health of our future generations. In my opinion every parent on the planet should be reading this book and understanding the grave importance of how these EMF waves are effecting our children. If you are a person who cares about thequality food you eat, the air you breathe, or the water you drink, then you must take your concern to the next level and educate yourself about the toxic emf pollution that is making us sick.This book is a must read and I will be suggesting to all my clients.

This is a wireless wake-up call we need to hear
Dr Gittleman's groundbreaking book brings this issue to people who need to hear many voices calling out for caution. It is an easy read and provides waysto cut risks of electro-pollution. I am not a technical expert but many of the world's leading authorities contributed to my book, Wireless Radiation Rescue. Their evidence of adverse biological effects from cell phone radiation is clear.

As a prominent pioneer in the field of nutrition and weight loss, I am sure Dr Gittleman is quite used to naysayers. However, I must comment on the 'fear-mongering' review, by the co-editor of the Information Age Dictionary. He is right that we have adapted to, "naturally occurring electromagnetic fields since time immemorial."

The scientific evidence does not support, however, the view that we have adapted to this very different, 'non-natural' form of wireless radiation - the jagged, pulsed wave used in mobile communication.

He also advises us that, "... studies done on cellphone exposure in the 1980s and 1990s no longer hold relevant data since the technology of the phones are now so totally different than they were."

Same goes for the safety regulations!

The current FCC exposure limits have not been updated since they were set in 1997, and these are still governing the marketplace.

The environmental health physician, Dr David Carpenter made this hard-hitting remark,"Government regulations are just plain wrong."

You should also know they only tested the effects on the brain of a 200 lb male. Remember this when you allow your teen or child to use a mobile phone. More details on our website www.radiationrescue.org

Balanced view? Most of the 'inconclusive' studies were funded by the massively powerful wireless industry, and this influence is also seen in many media outlets. This is why we need strong voices like Dr. Gittleman's.

Kerry Crofton, PhD

Return of the Fear Mongers
Nothing sells better than fear, whether it's the type you see on the silver screen, your TV, or in the pages of books like "Zapped". Ms. Gittleman visits an issue that has been around for at least the past 30 years or so...the effects of electromagnetic fields on human health. Hardly "cutting edge" stuff as suggested by other reviewers. But good grist for the mill of those who fear that which they do not understand.

While anyone who has worked with radio-frequency transmitters understands, prudence is appropriate. High-energy electromagnetic fields have demonstrable effects on humans and should be avoided. So too should excess exposure to chemicals, many of which we encounter in our daily lives and use, safely, in small quantities and with limited exposure. But the truth is that humans have been exposed to naturally occurring electromagnetic fields since time immemorial. Every spark, be it from your hand to the door knob or from a cloud to the earth produces a broad spectrum of EMF energy. Our bodies, fortunately, developed to accommodate such exposure.

Ms. Gittleman's book clearly wasn't reviewed first by competent technical people for if it had it would not have so many technical errors. A fair copy editor would have insisted that studies presented as definitive be balanced by those that show a totally different result. Some acknowledgement should have been made that studies done on cellphone exposure in the 1980s and 1990s no longer hold relevant data since the technology of the phones are now so totally different than they were, notably because of the reduced amount of radio-frequency energy they need transmit to maintain contact with cell towers.

If you're curious about the effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields I would suggest seeking more accurate information elsewhere. While she might be knowledgeable about nutrition, Ms. Gittleman seems out of her ken when it comes to electromagnetic fields. ... Read more

Product Description
This power packed little book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in the effect of electromagnetic fields on our badies. In addition to clearly identifying the problem, excellent remedies are offered. It is well referenced, well written and easily comprehended. ... Read more

Product Description
This second edition of Richard Turco's successful book, Earth Under Siege, provides a basic understanding of how our physical environment functions and how human activities affect it. Intended to educate the lay person-especially the policy makers, business administrators, and political leaders of the future-about some of the most pressing problems facing our modern world, this important book effectively describes the realities of environmental pollution and global change. It provides a comprehensive description of the natural environment and builds a foundation on which the science and policy of current environmental issues can be understood, including key local, regional, and global issues and their implications for society and human life. ... Read more

Product Description
For upper-division undergraduate or beginning graduate courses in civil and environmental engineering. This bestselling text has been revised and modernized to meet the needs of today's environmental engineering students who will be engaged in the design and management of water and wastewater systems. It emphasizes the application of the scientific method to problems associated with the development, movement, and treatment of water and wastewater. Recognizing that all waters are potential sources of supply, the authors present treatment processes in the context of what they can do, rather than dividing them along clean water or waste water lines. An abundance of examples and homework problems amplify the concepts presented. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Good Buy
This was a great buy.

Like the seller said, some slight markings in pencil every now and then, but their no biggie.

Im real satisfied with this experiance. Especially being that it was the first online book purchase I have ever made.

The book is as described.
The book is as described ,but took almost 20 working days to get this book.otherwise no complain.

quick delivery
The book was brand new and got here in three days.Cheaper than the bookstore and the wait was very short.

Good, could be better
As teacher of an Environmental Engineering course (at Ariel Academic College, Israel) and as consulting engineer, I find the book useful, but... Some areas are weak: Population and demand prognosis, Resource planning, Economic evaluation and optimization, Advanced water treatment (membrane and ion exchange technologies, for example), Desalination of brackish and sea water. Each chapter has a well explained exercise, a very useful feature, but most are non metric. All in all, I know of no better textbook, and it is worth its money.

water and waste
The book is very easy reading and understandable, but it does not have answers to the work problems which is most important. It has a good balance of theory and applications. ... Read more

Product Description
The definitive resource for information on air pollution emission sources and the technology available to control them.

The Air Pollution Engineering Manual has long been recognized as an important source of information on air pollution control issues for industries affected by the Clean Air Act and regulations in other countries. Thoroughly updated to reflect the latest emission factors and control measures for reducing air pollutants, this new edition provides industry and government professionals with the fundamental, technological, and regulatory information they need for compliance with the most recent air pollution standards. Contributing experts from diverse fields discuss the different processes that generate air pollution, equipment used with all types of gases and particulate matter, and emissions control for areas ranging from graphic arts and chemical processes to the metallurgical industry. More than 500 detailed flowcharts and photographs as well as an extensive listing of Internet resources accompany coverage of:
* Biological air pollution control, including biofilters and bioscrubbers
* Emissions from wood processing, brick and ceramic product manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, numerous other industrial processes, fugitive emissions, internal combustion sources, and evaporative losses
* Water/wastewater treatment plant emissions
* Changes in emission factors for each source category, including particle size factors related to PM10 and PM2.5 standards
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THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION is the world's leading membership organization for environmental professionals. The Association enhances the knowledge and competency of environmental professionals by providing a neutral forum for technology exchange, professional development, networking opportunities, public education, and outreach events. The Air & Waste Management Association promotes global environmental responsibility and increases the effectiveness of organizations and individuals in making critical decisions that benefit society. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent, I use mine all the time ...
The only complaint I might have with this book is the format, it's a big book, and given how often I need it, a smaller handbook (like the CRC handbook) would be more convenient. But then that might hurt the readability.

The book itself however is awesome, comprehensive, readable, plenty of illustrations, minimum of jargon, and useful for engineers and scientists.

One of the most useful tools for Environmental Engineers
This book has the most extense inventory, sector by sector, of data related to processes, emissions and control techniques. Therefore, we have here a major supply of guidelines and useful information for our work inour everyday struggle to "play doctors" with our own planet. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

A Collection of Case Studies Not a Profound Analysis
The Quest for Environmental Justice is an interesting collection of essays that highlight several case studies of activism with a predominant USA angle to them. Edited under the supervision of Dr. Bullard the book falls short of offering a strong underpinning to the environmental justice thinking and challenges, to instead concentrate on examples of abuses, and community actions.

Additional debate and analysis around the challenges facing environmental justice, and social equity, and the different currents of policy affecting it would have made a more interesting collection. The book feels like an addendum to other volumes by Bullard that are far more focused. Here after a generic if solvent highlight of where environmental justice is at as a movement, he jumps to stress the importance of it for color communities, which while an essential part of the issue, feels somewhat unestructure as if one were working on the assumption that the preceding work of Bullard is know by the reader, and leaving a hint of excluding flavor when one takes a global perspective.

It is true that the work around environmental justice and African American communities in the USA is probably the most important contributions of Bullard, but here it feels like a drag for a volume that would have seem to aspire embracing other communities and a broader outlook. Fortunately some of the contributions explore case studies affecting other communities and a couple venture to narrate struggles outside the USA. A few of those essays do offer a very insightful analysis of environmental justice challenges and there resides the strenght of the volume. However, for a broader, more comprehensive an incisive work on environmental justice, instead of a collection of case studies one would need to go elsewhere.

Good Intentions
Bullard, et al. have good intentions in that they want to correct environmental injustice and racism.However, sometimes they are too quick to call racism or get bogged down in statistics.My favorite chapter was the one on the Vieques people of Puerto Rico.If anything, I learned a lot about world politics.

Empowering
"The Quest for Environmental Justice" by Robert D. Bullard (editor) is an excellent primer about the environmental justice ('E.J.') movement. Blending U.S. environmental and social justice activists together in the late 1970s, the E.J. movement has grown to become a significant multinational political force. The numerous authors who have contributed to this volume explore the movement's rich history and chronicle many of the noteworthy struggles that have improved the lives of many people and can provide inspiration and hope to us all.

The introductory chapters include a Foreword by Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who played an important role in a campaign that successfully relocated the largely African-American community of Norco, LA away from a highly polluting oil refinery; a Preface by Peggy Morrow Shepard, who believes that the E.J. movement is key to reinvigorating the mainstream environmental organizations; and an Introduction by Mr. Bullard, who recounts how some of the core principles of the E.J. movement were institutionalized at the EPA during the Clinton adminsitration.

The book is divided into four sections.

The first section, "A Legacy of Injustice" discusses the history of the E.J. movement. "Environmental Justice in ther Twenty-first Century" by Mr. Bullard compares and contrasts the Summit I and Summit II meetings to discuss both the growth of the movement and how its organizational tactics and principles have developed over time. "Neighborhoods 'Zoned' for Garbage" by Mr. Bullard drills into the author's personal experiences fighting zoning decisions in Houston, TX that first brought the fledgling E.J. movement to prominence. "Women Warriers of Color on the Front Line" by Mr. Bullard and Damu Smith offers a series of vignettes written by seven exceptional women who have led community-based campaigns to victory, often against formidable and well-financed corporate opponents.

The second section is about "The Assault on Fence-Line Communities". Beverly Wright's "Living and Dying in Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley'" connects the legacy of slavery and racism with environmental exploitation and relates the successes of historic African-American towns such as Convent, LA in achieving a small measure of justice for its citizens against a large Japanese multinational corporation. Manuel Pastor, Jr. et al's "Environmental Inequity in Metropolitan Los Angeles" documents the myriad ill health effects that are produced by the disproportionate siting of hazardous sites in minority neighborhoods. Olga Pomar's "Toxic Racism on a New Jersey Waterfront" discusses the legacy of industrial pollution in Camden, NJ and the importance of developing legal tools that communities might use to more effectively petition government to secure their rights.

The third section is on the topic of "Land Rights and Sustainable Development". "Anatomy of the Urban Parks Movement" by Robert Garcia and Erica Flores explores the unequal distribution of parkland in the Los Angeles metropolitan area and the Latino community's struggle to create an inner city park at an area known as the Cornfields. "Resource Wars Against Native Peoples" by Al Gedicks weaves together the experiences of native peoples in Columbia, Ecuador and the U.S. who are resisting the sacrifice of their lands in the name of unsustainable consumption. "Tierra y Vida" by Devon Pena documents the Chicano experience in the southwestern U.S. including struggles with powerful mining, agriculture, waste disposal, real estate and water interests that have long exploited labor and land for profit.

The fourth section is "Human Rights and Global Justice". Robin Morris Collin and Robert Collin's "Environmental Reparations" calls for mainstream environmental organizations to create a more inclusive environmental movement by acknowledging the interconnectedness of rural and urban ecosystems and to fight for E.J. reparations in minority communities. Deborah Berman Santana's "Vieques" is an inspiring account of resistance by the Puerto Rican people and their struggle to create a sustainable local economy. Oronoto Douglas et al's "Alienation and Militancy in the Niger Delta" details the abysmal situation that has been created in Nigeria by the confluence of oil money and government corruption but suggests ways that might prove helpful in ending the violence and nurturing a responsible form of democracy to take root.

David McDonald's "Environmental Racism and Neoliberal Disorder in South Africa" offers perhaps the book's most insightful analytical work by demonstrating how white overaccumulation and black deprivation in South Africa may explain why neoliberalism has supplanted the apartheid system as the primary means by which the privileged class has maintained its claim on scarce environmental resources. Mr. Bullard et al's "Addressing Global Poverty, Pollution and Human Rights" provides a succinct and impassioned case for addressing inequities based on race, sex and class in order to create a sustainable global community for all to share.

I highly recommend this cogently written and empowering book to everyone. ... Read more

Product Description
The number-one environmental threat to public health, air pollution remains a pressing problem-made even more complicated by the massive quantity and diversity of air pollution sources.Biofiltration technology (using micro-organisms growing on porous media) is being recognized as one of the most advantageous means to convert pollutants to harmless products. Done properly, biofiltration works at a reasonable cost-utilizing inexpensive components, without requiring fuel or generating hazardous by-products.Firmly established in Europe, biofiltration techniques are being increasingly applied in North America: Biofiltration for Air Pollution Control offers the necessary knowledge to "do it right." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

"Bible of Biofiltration"....
Is how we refer to this book also. It covers all of the basics, gives tons (tonne?) of useful info in an organized manner with many useful references to get someone started in almost any aspect of biofiltration. well done.

Biofilter Bible
This book has been nicknamed the "Bible of Biofiltration" with due cause.It is an excellent resource for the novice and experienced alike.It is written by three well-respected and experienced leaders inthe biofilter field.It contains an excellent review of the fundamentalscience and the practical design as well as giving numerous examples ofapplications throughout the world.It is "a must have" foranyone who is in need of an reference book on biofiltration. ... Read more