Conservation of the environment Books

Book SynopsisA veteran of burnout himself, Legault looks at the culture of self-sacrifice that permeates the work done by volunteers and paid staff in the environmental conservation movement, and dissects how to manage our own time, energy, and commitment to our causes. Following a river-running metaphor, and proposing a variety of techniques to help with various states of anxiety resulting from burnout, including clarity of purpose, recognition of limits, fitness and diet, mediation and yoga, as well as organisational structural changes as such as leave-of-absence policies, Legault encourages readers to find time to eddy out -- to rest a moment in quieter waters and scout downriver -- to endure our lifetime of engagement is fulfilling, effective and self-sustaining. Just as with teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, paramedics, steelworkers, students and airline pilots, burnout is a growing concern in many social-change circles. The book takes a look at the impacts of eco-anxiety, overwork and the associated stress surrounding the present and future of the environment and offers practical and insightful suggestions on how to deal with it.

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in 1990, Paradise Won has been updated and details the epic 12-year struggle to stop logging in the unique global ecosystem referred to as Canada's Galapagos.Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve is located in the southernmost part of Haida Gwaii (formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands), 130 kilometres off the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Gwaii Haanas protects an archipelago of 138 islands in the territory of the Haida people, who have lived in Haida Gwaii for well over 14,000 years.From the 1970s through the early 1980s, plans to expand logging in the area led to the first concerted efforts to protect Gwaii Haanas and in 1985 the Haida Nation created the Haida Heritage Site. In spite of efforts to protect the landscape, logging continued and resulted in a prolonged legal and political battle. In 1987, logging finally ended when the governments of Canada and British Columbia signed the South Moresby Memorandum of Understanding, which safeguarded the area and permitted shared stewardship, treating the unique marine and terrestrial environments as though they were a national park, though many land claims were still outstanding.This updated edition of Paradise Won includes a new foreword by the author and will bring back into focus this remarkable story of the power and importance of Indigenous rights and how activism can spur average citizens to action in order to fight climate change and protect fragile ecosystems everywhere.

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Book SynopsisTar Wars offers a critical inside look at how leading image-makers negotiate escalating tensions between continuous economic growth mandated by a globalized economic system and its unsustainable environmental costs. As place branding assumes paramount importance in an increasingly global, visual, and ecologically conscious society, an international battle unfolds over Alberta’s bituminous sands. This battle pits independent documentary filmmakers against professional communicators employed by government and the oil industry. Tar Wars engages scholars and students in communications, film, environmental studies, social psychology, PR, media and cultural studies, and petrocultures. This book also speaks to decision makers, activists, and citizens exploring intersections of energy, environment, culture, politics, economy, media and power.Trade Review"Alberta for generations was famous for mountains, rodeos, Mormonism, football, Ukrainian culture, meatpacking and Social Credit. Say 'Alberta' today and any focus group replies, 'oil'. That’s no accident, writes Prof. Geo Takach of Royal Roads University. From the 1947 oil strike at Leduc Number One, 'resource extraction became heroic'. Alberta’s very identity was intertwined with oil sands production, for better and worse. Tar Wars documents this modern cultural phenomenon... [and] ... covers all angles. … The search is compelling and clever." -- Holly Doan * Blacklock's Reporter *"In his extensively researched and politically provocative new book, Tar Wars, award-winning author Geo Takach...offers attentive citizens, policy wonks and communications pros a solid 'case study in environmental communication.'" -- Rob Norris * Alberta Views *"... [Takach's] purpose: to depolarize and ultimately enable debate of the bit-sands and their role in defining Alberta... Tar Wars highlights two points that are seldom part of the discussion. The first is that while the antagonistic 'Alberta is energy' approach originated with industry and political leaders, the polarizing rhetoric does not represent the views of all or even the majority of Alberta residents. The second is that polarized debate limits meaningful dialogue and political engagement... Underlying is Takach’s message that we must refuse to fall into easy stereotypes of any region, including the one we live in." [Full review at https://bcbooklook.com/2017/09/29/174-lights-camera-action-debate/] -- Nichole Dusyk * BC BookLook *"This book is relevant to scholars in communication studies, specifically those with a focus on environmental communication and activism, as well as those in strategic communication, specifically PR, marketing, and branding, and obviously those in the fields of journalism and film." [Full review at https://cjc-online.ca/index.php/journal/article/view/3673/3885] -- Gordon Alley-Young * Canadian Journal of Communication Vol 44 *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements xi 1 | The Problem of the Sands 1 2 | Four Foundational Principles 17 3 | Images and Frames of Alberta 29 4 | Positioning and Contesting Alberta 43 5 | Visually Redefining Alberta 127 6 | Implications 149 Notes 167 References 193 Index 225

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Book SynopsisThis volume, the final in Tim Lilburn’s decades-long meditation on philosophy and environmental consequences, traces a relationship between mystic traditions and the political world. Struck by the realization that he did not know how to be where he found himself, Lilburn embarked on a personal attempt at decolonization, seeking to uncover what is wrong within Canadian culture and to locate a possible path to recovery. He proposes a new epistemology leading to an ecologically responsible and spiritually acute relationship between settler Canadians, Indigenous peoples, and the land we inhabit. The Larger Conversation is a bold statement: a vital text for readers of environmental philosophy and for anyone interested in building toward conversation between Indigenous peoples and settlers.Trade Review"It takes a poet to see the extraordinary in the mundane.... This is reading for the joy of it." [Full review at https://www.blacklocks.ca/book-review-going-home] -- Holly Doan * Blacklock's Reporter *"In a series of essays, lectures, confessions, and interviews, all based on years of reading and research, Lilburn shares not new but old, reclaimed ways of thinking—long-ignored riches from the Christian, Judaic and Islamic contemplative wisdom traditions.... In order to undo the Western extractive, colonial approach to land—one that uses, warehouses, and dominates—we have to return to our former strengths, what Lilburn calls 'cognitive rebar.' What justice asks of us is that we do the work to prepare for conversation." [Full article at http://www.focusonvictoria.ca/novdec2017/the-larger-conversation-contemplation-and-place-r5/] -- Amy Reiswig * Focus Magazine *"This book is exactly what I think is required in the emerging scholarly and literary work on decolonization in Canada. This isn't a dry and heavy academic text marking up conceptual territory: territorializing knowledge with confusing title and jargon... This book is much more in the traditions of mystical contemplative philosophy." -- Cary Campbell * SubTerrain *"This collection of essays is the third in a series of books in which Lilburn reflects on his own sense of rootlessness, often as a cultural phenomenon. The current book's emphasis on the colonial condition is new...[The] construal at the heart of the book is individual and specific: North Americans of European descent suffer from a colonial malaise consisting significantly of a malformed relation to place." -- Carolyn Richardson * The Fiddlehead *"[Lilburn] feels that beneath 'the smoothness, the relative fine running of late capitalism,' there’s a disturbing hunger... And why? Because, argues Lilburn, through chapters on philosophical inquiry, spiritual struggle, deep ecological concern, and unsparing self-confession, we have not truly learned how to live on this land so relatively new to us, a land acquired in many ways through violence and dishonesty... What Lilburn attempts in this larger conversation is to find a way back, through earnest inquiry with philosophers, mystics, poets, and saints stretching back thousands of years, to the 'essence of nature'..." [Full review at https://thestarphoenix.com/entertainment/books/book-reviews-lilburn-searches-for-meaning-peeteetuce-creates-scathing-depiction-of-phoniness] -- Bill Robertson * Saskatoon StarPhoenix *"In 1999, writer and poet Tim Lilburn published the non-fiction work Living in the World as if It Were Home, a meditation on humanity's relationship with the natural environment that has become a classic and was the first book in a loose trilogy examining the connections between politics, environmentalism, philosophy, and modernity. Eighteen years later, the final part of the trilogy, a volume of contemplative essays, is available from UAP." * Quill & Quire *"The Larger Conversation is a beautiful, patient, and persistent philosophical work.... Lilburn suggests that in entering a relationship with place, with any specific place that we care about, we can be seen by place and thus be given our identity—indeed our Being—through a kind of grace. I love this argument and line of thought for its beauty and practicality. It offers a true way to move forward from the colonial past by first making changes to how we perceive reality—a reality that we constantly misunderstand—about how and why and who we are in place." [Full review at http://canlit.ca/article/being-seen-by-place/] -- Susie DeCoste * Canadian Literature 236 *"One of Lilburn’s primary interests has always been the relationship – the dialogue – between poetry and philosophy, including their common roots and common objectives.... At the same time, some of this writing is deeply personal, even confessional; here, the writer is more candid than usual about his own life, including childhood memories, illness and aging, faith and doubt." Kelly Shepherd, UTP Quarterly 2017 [Full review at DOI 10.3138/utq.88.3.hr79]Table of ContentsIntroduction I 1 The Ethical Significance of the Human Relationship to Place 2 The Start of Real Thinking 3 On Scholem, Ruusbroec and Exegesis 4 Imagination, Psychagogy and Ontology 5 Mostly on Prayer 6 Seeing into Things: Suhrawardi and Mandelstam II 7 A Mandelstamian Generation in China 8 Poetry as Pneumatic Force 9 Fresh Coherence 10 Turning the Soul Around: The Ascetical Practice of Philosophy in the Republic 11 Negative Theological Meditations: Apophasis and Its Politics 12 Thinking the Rule of Benedict within Modernity 13 Thomas Merton’s Novitiate Talks on Cistercian Usages and Richard Kearney’s Theandrism III 14 A Poetics of Decolonization 15 Contemplative Experience; Autochthonous Practice 16 Faith and Land 17 Nothingness Epilogue: At the Foot of WMIEŦEN Dramatis Personae Glossary Acknowledgements Reading Permissions Index

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Book SynopsisWinner, New Brunswick Book Award (Non-Fiction) Longlisted, Miramichi Reader's "The Very Best!" Book Awards (Non-Fiction)A CBC New Brunswick Book List SelectionAn Atlantic Books Today Must-Have New Brunswick Books of 2020 SelectionThe Restigouche River flows through the remote border region between the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick, its magically transparent waters, soaring forest hillsides, and population of Atlantic salmon creating one of the most storied wild spaces on the continent. In Restigouche, writer Philip Lee follows ancient portage routes into the headwaters of the river, travelling by canoe to explore the extraordinary history of the river and the people of the valley. They include the Mi’gmaq, who have lived in the Restigouche valley for thousands of years; the descendants of French Acadian, Irish, and Scottish settlers; and some of the wealthiest people in the world who for more than a century have used the river as an exclusive wilderness retreat.The people of the Restigouche have long been both divided and united by a remarkable river that each day continues to assert itself, despite local and global industrial forces that now threaten its natural systems and the survival of the salmon. In the deep pools and rushing waters of the Restigouche, in this place apart in a rapidly changing natural world, Lee finds a story of hope about how to safeguard wild spaces and why doing so is the most urgent question of our time.Trade Review"From its geological origins, to the importance of this vast watershed to First Nations and early settlers alike, Philip Lee’s latest book, Restigouche: The Long Run of the Wild River, covers much ground, or more accurately water." -- Martin Silverstone * Atlantic Salmon Journal *"Restigouche is a paean for the river that flows for 200 kilometres through the remote border region between New Brunswick and Quebec, a river with beautifully transparent waters, forest hillsides and Atlantic salmon, and for the people who have lived beside and from the river for thousands of years." -- Chris Smith * Winnipeg Free Press *"In Restigouche, Philip Lee offers a rich and immersive travel memoir full of adventure, as well as the history of place and its people, a philosophical and ecological treatise, and a plea, if not a lament, for the natural world and all the living beings that depend on it. One man’s love and exploration of this one river offer the reader a glimpse of what’s possible when we pay due respect and attention to the world’s wild places, not to mention to the people who dwell there, and what calamity awaits when, as happens all too often, greed and decadence get the upper hand." -- Naomi K. Lewis“Told with a journalist's objectivity and a poet's sensibility, Lee’s Restigouche is an extraordinary work of research and finely-crafted writing that should be revisited and widely shared.” -- Wanda Baxter * Miramichi Reader's “Revisiting Restigouche” *

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Book Synopsis_______________________________— Ever wanted to save the world? —It’s easy to feel like we can’t make a difference. But small, easy actions, if taken by enough people, can move mountains – and save planets.Written in collaboration with leading environmental experts from WWF, this short book provides simple changes we can all make to our everyday lives, from morning to night.These aren’t the only things you can do. Nor are they things you have to do. But these 12 small acts are basic steps anybody can take, and if even one of them sticks, our children will inherit a better world.Acts like:– Turning off devices instead of leaving them on standby– Buying less cotton clothing (a T-shirt needs 2,400 litres of water to make!)– Using reusable straws when possible– Turning off the tap while you brush your teethwill take only moments, but if enough people commit to them, we can make a real difference to our planet._______________________________'Now really is the time to act. You don’t have to be a superhero – everyone can make a difference by following this book’ – Ben Fogle

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Book SynopsisThere is no greater aspiration than saving the world. Natalie Fee's upbeat and engaging book is a life-altering guide to making those changes that will contribute to helping our planet. Covering all key areas of our lives, from food and leisure to travel and sex, Natalie will galvanise you to think and live differently. You will feel better, live better and ultimately breathe better in the knowledge that every small change contributes towards saving our world.Trade Review"For deep ecologists and those who have 'flown the green flag' for years, this book may still offer a few unexpected insights, but for those who are showing an interest in going greener, or for students focusing on sustainability, as well as young adults going to climate marches, it will be an invaluable addition to their bookshelf." * Resurgence & Ecologist *"Anyone with any ecoanxiety will be fired up by this guide from environmental campaigner and author Natalie Fee, who arms us with practical tools to rethink our choices." * Coast *

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Book SynopsisAn affectionate but meticulously researched history of one of the most beautiful and best-loved corners of England – Crosthwaite Parish, nestling deep within the mountains and valleys of the Lake District. 'A unique contribution to English history' Hunter Davies 'A delightful, refreshingly written book, attentive to social detail and telling the only story that matters – history' Simon Jenkins 'A wonderful book' Margaret Drabble 'A completely fresh perspective on the Lakes and Lake Poets... I hugely enjoyed it' Andrew Marr Bounded by the peaks of Scafell, Skiddaw and Helvellyn, and embracing such well-known landmarks as Borrowdale, Derwentwater and Keswick, it lies within the heart of the Lake Poets' landscape and its rugged terrain excites passion in all those who know it. The Parish also boasts a remarkable history. Its 90 square miles were governed, from medieval times, by eighteen annually chosen 'customary tenants'; ancestors of the people who later prompted Wordsworth's portrayal of the area as 'a perfect Republic of Shepherds and agriculturalists'. His fellow poet Robert Southey lived within the Parish for forty years, was an active parishioner and rests in St Kentigern's churchyard. Here he is given his rightful position as a Lake Poet. In the nineteenth century, the Victorian state killed off the old parish system, sweeping away the egalitarian rule of the Eighteen Men. But a degree of redemption was at hand. Canon Rawnsley, vicar of Crosthwaite from 1883, pledged to defend the Lake District for future generations. So the Parish was at the heart of the creation of the National Trust and blazed a trail for a wider movement to preserve the English landscape. Writing with a historian's rigour and bearing aloft the banner of the Lake District statesmen, Philippa Harrison has produced a magisterial and fascinating record of a parish with a unique social, cultural and aesthetic resonance in English history.Trade ReviewHas there ever been a parish history so well researched, so filled with history and literature, campaigns and causes, and so fascinating? No chance. This is a unique contribution to English history -- Hunter Davies, author of LakelandStimulating, wide-ranging and full of interest -- Angus J L Winchester, Emeritus Professor of History, Lancaster UniversityA delightful, refreshingly written book, attentive to social detail and telling the only story that matters – history -- Simon Jenkins, Chairman of the National Trust 2008-2014A completely fresh perspective on the Lakes and Lake Poets... I hugely enjoyed it' -- Andrew MarrI love Mountain Republic. Both intimate and authoritative, it is a wonderful book -- Margaret DrabbleThis remarkable chronicle introduces the reader to Christian missionaries, Anglo-Saxon and Norse invaders, Scottish royals, local gentry, the 'Eighteen Men', Romantic poets, a succession of clergy with widely and sometimes wildly diverse convictions, and the local people who shaped the land in which they were rooted as the land shaped them. With a rare combination of finely detailed erudition and engaging, elegant, page-turning prose, Philippa Harrison charts the evolution of the Lake District. Anyone who reads her narrative will be richly rewarded -- Dr John Inge, Bishop of WorcesterPhilippa's perspective as both a local and a historian provides a fascinating take * This England *[An] affectionate scholarship grounded in the Lake District parish of Crosthwaite... [An] appropriately monumental book' * Church Times *At its heart this is a history of the farming communities of the region [...] with the ability to appeal to all those attracted to the region and not just the Lake district. A very difficult book to put down, sparking interest at each turn of the page -- Chris Craghill, Cumbria Local History FederationThere must have been thousands of books written about the Lake District, but if you thought that there could be nothing left to say about it, then think again; this fascinating social history of Crosthwaite parish stopped even this Cumbrian reader and writer in her tracks... It already looks destined for a place in the Lake District literary canon -- Sue Allan, Cumbria LifeA remarkable book with great merit... A well-written work which provides a valuable chronicle of the interplay over centuries between local management and national and regional controlling institutions, which is relevant to so many local parishes and townships -- Dr Derek Denman, Wanderer, L&DFLHSAn amazing achievement. I learned such a lot from it, from the history, from the industry, from agriculture, social history, land-ownership, museums, the economy, and then whole substories which I just found fascinating: the history of the churches in the 1830s, the sewage... Tthe mass trespass on 'Skiddaw's cub' which I knew nothing about. At times it was as though our collection was being brought alive by the portraits of some often-mentioned names, and I particularly want to thank Philippa for changing and opening my eyes about Robert Southey -- Jeff Cowton, Curator and Head of Learning, Wordsworth Grasmere, The Lake Poets: Hill Farming, Mountaineering and PoliticsA big-hearted-embrace of a book, and there are riches in it for all readers ... Philippa Harrison is a gifted narrator, Mountain Republic is a great read and a treasure trove of anecdote and fact for regional historians -- Terry McCormick, Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society NewsThis authoritative and well-researched history is very accessible, very enjoyable and full of fascinating details... A joy to read from beginning to end * The Local Historian *

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Book SynopsisAdrift on the Ark is a collection of personal essays by Margaret Thompson that offers a straightforward study of the complex relationship between human beings and the natural world. The essays look at a wide range of beings--from spiders to peacocks--and cover issues such as our irrational phobias, our fascination with zoos, and the myths and stories we have created around the other occupants of this earth. They also observe the joy animals bring to us as our pets and the altruistic relationship between caregivers and companions. With lively anecdotes and engaging portraits of the animals who have enriched Margaret''s life, these entertaining and personal essays serve a double purpose: as a reminder of our place in the natural order and our intricate connections with animals; and as a warning about how much we stand to lose by ignoring our responsibilities for all life on earth. Meant to inspire and motivate, Adrift on the Ark is an enchanting reflection on the beneficial relationship between humans and other animals.

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Book SynopsisI believe that it is up to people like us to find the language, create the images and imagine the solutions that will allow us to break out of the vicious circle that threatens public health by threatening our landscapes and water sources . . . Together we can work toward this end. And, we can do it with humour. We can do it with style. And we can do it with grace. Try as we might, parts of North America may not escape the impacts of the global water crisis. The same kinds of water supply and quality issues that have appeared around our crowded planet are already beginning to present themselves here. Unfortunately, this is occurring at a time when, as a direct result of declining global food production, the world is beginning to rely more heavily than ever on agricultural communities in North America to help meet increasingly unattainable food-production goals. Instead of waiting for a water crisis of our own, North Americans may well wish to put the lessons learned elsewhere in the world into active practice. By using the example of others to put our own water-management house in order, North America can possibly avoid the same kinds of problems other countries are facing with respect to the protection of water resources. At the same time, we can employ enlightened attitudes toward the management of water resources to advance many of our own ecological and economic sustainability goals. Passionately conceived, clearly written and citing concrete examples from all over the world, Restoring the Flow is an approachable yet authoritative source, one of the many implements concerned citizens, government officials, businesspeople and policymakers can use and reuse in understanding and addressing this ever-growing global crisis.

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Book SynopsisThe grizzly bear, once the archetype for all that is wild, is quickly becoming a symbol of nature''s fierce but flagging resilience in the face of human greed and ignorance--and the difficulty a wealth-addicted society has in changing its ways. North America''s grizzlies have been under siege ever since Europeans arrived. They''d survived the arrival of spear-wielding humans 13,000 years ago, outlived the short-faced bear, the dire wolf and the sabre-tooth cat--not to mention mastodons, mammoths and giant ground sloths the size of elephants--but grizzly bears in much of Turtle Island succumbed to 375 years of unrelenting commercialization and industrialization, disappearing from the Great Plains and much of the mountain West. Despite their relatively successful recovery in Yellowstone National Park, the bears'' decline continues largely unchecked. And the front line in this centuries-old battle for survival has shifted to western Alberta and southern BC, where outdated mythologies, rapacious industry and disingenuous governments continue to push the Great Bear into the mountains and toward a future that may not have room for them at all.

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Book SynopsisThe story of the Snowdonia National Park and the Society, dedicated to conserving and enhancing its unique landscape, is one which will fascinate and inform those who live and work within it as well as being of interest to visitors, be they picnickers or sightseers or committed hill walkers, climbers, canoeists and mountain bikers. This book commemorates the fortieth anniversary of the Snowdonia Society and is a record of its sometimes turbulent history and the ever-changing but still inspiring landscape of the National Park. Created in 1951, the Snowdonia National Park is a landscape of rugged grandeur, great natural diversity and cultural associations going back thousands of years. The vision of its founders was that this very special region should be protected from harmful development for all time. From the beginning, however, there were problems? Out of these difficulties grew the idea of an independent society dedicated to conserving and enhancing the landscape. Today the Snowdonia Society has a membership of over 2,500 and has a close working relationship with both the Snowdonia National Park Authority and the Council for National Parks. This lively narrative chronicles the story of the Snowdonia Society ? its successes and failures, its internal conflict and the personalities involved ? as well as discussing the wider issues which have affected this unique landscape over the last forty years. This lavishly illustrated book will appeal to anyone who loves the rugged landscape of Snowdonia, published in dual language text of English and Welsh.Table of ContentsMap of locations 4List of Plates 5Preface by Sir Chris Bonington, CBE 7Early Days 1967-77 12Introduction 12The Society 14Landscape and Planning 18Growing Up 1977-87 30The Society 30Landscape and Planning 36Coming of Age 1987-97 46The Society 46Landscape and Planning 54Enhancement 60Into the Present 1997-2007 66The Society 66Landscape issues 72Enhancement 76Policy issues 82Conclusion 86Postscript by John Disley, CBE 88References 90Acknowledgements 91

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Book SynopsisThe revolution will not take place indoors.Kenyan beekeeper-turned-farmer Jess de Boer embarks upon a decade-long journey to find purpose and potential in the explosive world of regenerative agriculture.From honey hunting in the last remaining pockets of rainforest in southern Ethiopia, to gardening in the depths of Kenya's largest slum, Jess takes you to the arid lands of Northern Kenya where a group of pioneering farmers have begun to connect the people with the dust beneath their feet.This is a journey into restorative action. Confronting the challenges of our stagnant education systems, unsustainable food production techniques and the growing disconnect of our youth, de Boer merges fact and science with hard-won wisdom in this inspiring and accessible tale of proactivity and hope.

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Book SynopsisBeginning in 1967 and for just over 30 years, the oil industry toiled in the relative obscurity of Northern Alberta as machines peeled away earth and boreal forest to exhume what has now become one of humanity''s most precious and contentious resources: bitumen. As the years passed, the bitumen mines sprawled, poisonous tailings ponds spread, toxins polluted the environment, cancer reared its head downstream and the price of petroleum soared beyond all expectations. As plans continue to build the Keystone and Northern Gateway pipelines, a growing number of scientists, journalists, First Nations and environmentalists are fighting to raise the alarm about the implications and propaganda surrounding the world''s largest energy project. In his second RMB Manifesto, Jeff Gailus dissects the global war on truth that has come to define the battle for oil. It is a battle fought not with bullets and bombs but with a dark web of Little Black Lies that poses a threat not only to environmental and human health, but to our moral and social well-being.

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Book SynopsisFresh water is essential to both the ever-expanding human population and the ever-threatened natural landscapes that surround us. And yet, society seems to continually ignore the need for a common-sense approach to--and appreciation of--our freshwater resources and our consumption of this remarkable, life-giving substance that now exceeds its future availability. This ground-breaking and approachable work, by two of Canada''s most authoritative experts on water issues, redefines our relationship with fresh water and outlines the steps we as a society will have to take if we wish to ensure the sustainability of our water supply for future generations.

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Book SynopsisAt the last census in 2006, just over 80 percent of Canada''s population lived in urban centres. How we feed that population and protect its food sources is an enduring subject of debate in food security circles these days. As consumers and citizens, we all need to take a hard look at the deficiencies in Canada''s ability to feed the urban poor; our dependence on imported foods and centralized food processing; our detachment from our food sources; the often problematic solutions to food security devised by governments, municipalities and non-profit groups; and where we are headed if we change nothing in these times when change is urgently needed. Many efforts are being made to introduce urban agriculture initiatives all across the country, to address the problems we''ve created and to protect our cities from real and potential crises in the food supply. With passion and lyricism, Digging the City addresses the problems facing urban omnivores in the 21st century and looks at various policy, grassroots and utopian solutions being developed and implemented, while considering the pros and cons of plans such as vertical farms, urban fish farms, transition-town initiatives, seed banks, permaculture and water conservation projects.

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Book SynopsisThe Himalayan mountains, known for their rich biodiversity, are facing severe damage due to human exploitation. A book aims to raise awareness about environmental threats, suggest solutions, and appeal to various experts and stakeholders for conservation efforts.

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Book SynopsisThe text covers various topics in animal biotechnology including cell culture, genetic engineering, transgenic animals, immunology, gene therapy, and regulatory aspects. It provides an overview of techniques, applications, and future prospects in the field.

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Book SynopsisThis scientific anthology on conservation of wildlife in Africa and Asia is a comprehensive book, easy to consult and can be used by anyone dealing with conservation. While most of the data and case studies originally are from Tanzania and Bangladesh, the usefulness of this book is not limited to Tanzania and developing countries, but to the entire conservation community globally.

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Book SynopsisOver the last few decades, various international and cross-cultural partnerships have been established, often with impressive speed, to facilitate the protection of natural resources and the environment. However, many problems exist within these partnerships: international declarations and conventions are not binding in the same ways as national laws; the motivations behind the involvement of a country or culture are not always easy to identify and are often understood differently in different places; environmental obligations are often interpreted and implemented differently in different places; and common aims are often not mutual at all. These difficulties surrounding the establishment and implementation of workable international and cross-cultural environmental policies form the basis of this book.

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Book SynopsisOur Potpourri Planet addresses the themes of the hour---climate change, global warming and the need for immediate action to preserve Planet Earth as we know it.

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Book SynopsisSynoptic comparison of tropical forests, based on a detailed understanding of one particular tropical forest, Barro Colorado Island. Covers various aspects of tropical forest biology including natural history, tree architecture and forest physiognomy, ecosystem dynamics, community ecology, niche differentiation and species diversity.Trade Review"Throughout this book the imprint of Egbert Leigh's keen intellect is apparent. He has pulled together an incredible mass of information both from his own observations from forests throughout the world but also from a summary of the works of others. Each chapter has very extensive list of references. When needed, Leigh summarizes natural law in the form of mathematical equations and while these may be beyond the comprehension of some readers, the book also is written in a style that is fun to read. Subjects are treated thoroughly and in an interesting manner; despite the wealth of information in each chapter the progression of subjects makes sense and is easy to follow. While the book uses Barro Colorado Island as a sounding board the information in this book is pertinent to tropical forests everywhere. The book should be mandatory reading for any student of ecology or biology."--Plant Systematics and Evolution "This book introduces rain forests and their ecological organization, using the tropical rain forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama as a representative. Three essential questions addressed in the book are: How do tropical forests stay green with so many herbivores? Why do tropic forests have such diverse flora and fauna? And what role does mutualism play in rain forest ecology? . . . The text is illustrated with figures and tables. This book should be of interest to scientists in the fields of tropical biology, ecology, botany, zoology, evolution, and natural history."--Biological Abstracts/RRM® "Leigh has produced a wonderful synthesis of our understanding of tropical forests, one that should attract a wide audience. . .I greatly appreciated that much of the mathematical details were left for appendicies after each chapter. I look forward to further editions of thisbook as our knowledge of the tropical forests of the world continues to grow--at least as long as there are any tropical forests left to study."--Ecology "Focusing on the climate, structure, and productivity of this well-studied Panamanian rainforest, Leigh discusses three critical issues: why tropical forests are green despite their abundant herbivores, why forests are so diverse, and the importance of mutualistic interactions in the forsts' ecology/"--Science "Throughout this book the imprint of Egbert Leigh's keen intellect is apparent. He has pulled together an incredible mass of information both from his own observations from forests throughout the world but also from a summary of the works of others. Each chapter has very extensive list of references. When needed, Leigh summarizes natural law in the form of mathematical equations and while these may be beyond the comprehension of some readers, the book also is written in a style that is fun to read. Subjects are treated thoroughly and in an interesting manner; despite the wealth of information in each chapter the progression of subjects makes sense and is easy to follow. While the book uses Barro Colorado Island as a sounding board the information in this book is pertinent to tropical forests everywhere. The book should be mandatory reading for any student of ecology or biology."--Plant Systematics and Evolution "This book introduces rain forests and their ecological organization, using the tropical rain forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama as a representative. Three essential questions addressed in the book are: How do tropical forests stay green with so many herbivores? Why do tropic forests have such diverse flora and fauna? And what role does mutualism play in rain forest ecology? . . . The text is illustrated with figures and tables. This book should be of interest to scientists in the fields of tropical biology, ecology, botany, zoology, evolution, and natural history."--Biological Abstracts/RRM® "Leigh has produced a wonderful synthesis of our understanding of tropical forests, one that should attract a wide audience. . .I greatly appreciated that much of the mathematical details were left for appendicies after each chapter. I look forward to further editions of thisbook as our knowledge of the tropical forests of the world continues to grow--at least as long as there are any tropical forests left to study."--Ecology "Focusing on the climate, structure, and productivity of this well-studied Panamanian rainforest, Leigh discusses three critical issues: why tropical forests are green despite their abundant herbivores, why forests are so diverse, and the importance of mutualistic interactions in the forsts' ecology/"--ScienceTable of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Barro Colorado Island: The Background ; 2. Dramatis Personae ; 3. Tropical Climates ; 4. Runoff, Erosion, and Soil ; 5. Telling the Trees from the Forest: Tree Shape and Leaf Arrangement ; 6. Biomass and Productivity of Tropical Forest ; 7. The Seasonal Rhythms of Fruiting and Leaf Flush, and the Regulation of Animal Populations ; 8. Tropical Diversity ; 9. The Role of Mutualism in Tropical Forest ; 10. The Rainforest Endangered

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Book SynopsisNasr argues that the current ecological crisis has been exacerbated by the reductionist view of nature that has been advanced by modern secular science. What is needed, he believes, if the recovery of the truth to which the great enduring religions all attest: that nature is sacred.Trade ReviewThe most comprehensive and intelligent treatment of its topic that has been written....Nasr is one of the major intellects of our day. * Huston Smith, University of California, Berkeley *

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Book SynopsisIn Aldo Leopold and an Ecological Conscience ecologists, wildlife biologists, and other professional conservationists explore the ecological legacy of Aldo Leopold and his A Sand Country Almanac and his contributions to the environmental movement, the philosophy of science, and natural resource management. Twelve personal essays describe the enormous impact he has had on each author, from influencing the daily operations of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the creation of a land-use ethics guide for Forest Service personnel, to much needed inspiration for continuing on in today''s large, complex and often problematic world of science. Here is Aldo Leopold as a mentor, friend, and companion and an affirmation of his hope that science will continue to be practiced in the cause of conservation.Trade Review... this attractive book is wonderfully put together. It would serve either as a helpful introduction to those who might not be familiar with Leopold's work or as enjoyable reading for those who already know the delights of the world of Aldo Leopold. * Environmental Conservation *Table of ContentsTHE EVOLUTION OF A CLASSIC ; A SENSE OF PLACE, A SENSE OF TIME ; THE COHESIVE VISION ; A LAND ETHIC IN PRACTICE

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Mesmerizing…Underland is a portal of light in dark times." -- Terry Tempest Williams - New York Times Book Review"An excellent book—fearless and subtle, empathic and strange." -- Dwight Garner - The New York Times"Reading Macfarlane connects us to dazzling new worlds. It's a connection that brings, more than anything else, joy." -- Barbara J. King - NPR"Incantatory…A worthy companion to the historian Simon Schama’s monumental Landscape and Memory." -- Marcia Bjornerud - Wall Street Journal"Brilliant." -- Peter Fish - San Francisco Chronicle"Exquisite. " -- Ryan J. Haupt - Science"Quietly prophetic. " -- Jedediah Purdy - Atlantic"Profound in every sense of the word." -- Richard Powers"Underland is a devastating act of witness and a clear, cogent, lyrical examination of the darknesses invisible beneath our feet." -- Lauren Groff"Underland is a profound reckoning with humankind’s self-imperiled position in nature’s eternal order. At once thrilling and soulful, raw and erudite, it is a book of revelations." -- Philip Gourevitch

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Book Synopsis“Helen Caldicott has the rare ability to combine science with passion, logic with love, and urgency with humor.” —Naomi KleinTrade Review"Caldicott's role in the movement has always been to ring the alarm bell, and her charisma remains undimmed... The doctor is in." "God bless Helen Caldicott and her troops." "Helen Caldicott has been my inspiration to speak out." -- Meryl Streep "Caldicott is extraordinary."

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Profound in every sense of the word." -- Richard Powers, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Overstory"An excellent book—fearless and subtle, empathic and strange." -- Dwight Garner - New York Times"Reading Macfarlane connects us to dazzling new worlds. It’s a connection that brings, more than anything else, joy." -- Barbara J. King - NPR"Remarkable…Underland may be [Macfarlane’s] masterpiece." -- Colin Thubron - New York Review of Books"One of the most ambitious works of narrative non-fiction of our age." -- William Dalrymple - Guardian"[Robert Macfarlane’s] writing is luminous, intense.…[B]rilliant notes from the underground." -- Huw Lewis-Jones - Nature"[Macfarlane] seems to metabolize landscape into lyrics as he walks." -- Rachel Riederer - Outside"Through this series of haunting descents, Macfarlane plumbs the strange and alarming ways we’ve changed the world and resurfaces with revelations about how to orient us to the future, weaving landscape and language together." -- Kate Yoder - Grist"The most impressive exercise of imagination and scholarship I’ve come across lately.…A reader never will forget this journey through geologic time." -- Tony Norman - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"With Underland Macfarlane gives us a work of nature writing for the age—and for the ages. Its eloquent but urgent prose reveals our complex relationship with nature while pushing us to think more deeply about earth’s sublime underneath." -- Amy Brady - Gizmodo

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