Environmental management Books

Book SynopsisThis textbook presents key theoretical approaches to understanding issues of sustainability and environmental management, perfectly bridging the gap between engineering and environmental science. It begins with the fundamentals of environmental modelling and toxicology, which are then used to discuss qualitative and quantitative risk assessment methods, and environmental assessments of product design. It discusses how business and government can work towards sustainability, focusing on managerial and legal tools, before considering ethics and how decisions on environmental management can be made. Students will learn quantitative methods while also gaining an understanding of qualitative, legal, and ethical aspects of sustainability. Practical applications are included throughout, and there are study questions at the end of each chapter. PowerPoint slides and jpegs of all the figures in the book are provided online. This is the perfect textbook on environmental studies for engineering aTrade Review'This book … focuses on the pressing issue of encouraging engineers and applied scientists to consider sustainability in their designs. Hopefully, this text will get into the hands of all engineers and applied scientists who recognize that sustainability is everyone's responsibility, not just for those with 'environmental' in their titles.' B. Bero, ChoiceTable of ContentsPreface; Reader's guide: how is this all connected? 1. The engineer's role in environmental protection; 2. The Earth system: natural operation and human impacts; 3. Impacts of chemical pollution; 4. Modelling environmental transport and fate of pollutants; 5. Introduction to toxicology; 6. Qualitative and quantitative risk assessment; 7. Environmental assessment of products and processes; 8. Regulatory structures; 9. Decision-making; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisProceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Aquatic Oligochaeta, held in Bilbao, Spain, 18-22 July 2000Table of ContentsPreface. List of participants. Some memories of Dr Gilberto Righi (1937-1999); M.L. Christoffersen. In memoriam, Professor Perry C. Holt, Ph.D. (1910-2000); S.R. Gelder. Part One: Taxonomy. Descriptions of three Pristina species (Naididae, Clitellata) from Amazonian forest soils, including P. marcusi sp. nov.; R. Collado, R.M. Schmelz. A new lumbriculid genus and species from North America (Clitellata, Lumbriculidae); S.V. Fend, D.L. Gustafson. Taxonomical survey of some stygobiont oligochaetes from the eastern part of France, including description of a new species; J. Juget, M. des Châteliers. A preliminary study of oligochaetes in Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake of China, and its vicinity, with description of a new species of Limnodrilus; H. Wang, Y. Liang. New alluroids (Annelida, Clitellata) from Guyana; P. Omodeo, K.A. Coates. Part Two: Diversity and Distribution. Notes on the diversity and distribution of Australian Naididae and Phreodrilidae (Oligochaeta: Annelida); A. Pinder. Oligochaetes in southern European groundwater: new records and an overview; N. Giani, et al. Oligochaete communities in the hyporheic zone of a glacial river, the Roseg River, Switzerland; M. Lafont, F. Malard. Oligochaetes in Lake Towada, Japan, an oligotrophic caldera; A. Ohtaka. Distribution and dispersal capacity of the Ponto-Caspian tubificid oligochaete Pothamothrix. moldaviensis Vejdovsky et Mrázek, 1903 in the Baltic Sea Region; G. Milbrink, T. Timm. Part Three: Morphology and Embriology. Temporal pattern of the double sperm line production in Tubifex tubifex (Annelida, Oligochaeta); S. Boi, M. Ferraguti. External structures used during attachment and sperm transfer in tubificids(Annelida, Oligochaeta); S. Cuadrado, E. Martínez-Ansemil. Mysterious `crystals': found on the epidermal peritoneum of marine tubificid (Clitellata: Annelida) species; K.A. Coates, et al. Pattern formation in embryos of the oligochaete annelid Tubifex: cellular basis for segmentation and specification of segmental identity; T. Shimizu, et al. Part Four: Feeding Biology and Reproduction. Selective feeding by the aquatic oligochaete Tubifex tubifex (Tubificidae, Clitellata); P. Rodriguez, et al. Cocoon deposition of Rhyacodrilus hiemalis Ohtaka (Tubificidae) in Lake Biwa, Japan; T. Narita. Part Five: Ecotoxicology and Bioaccumulation. Utility and relevance of aquatic oligochaetes in Ecological Risk Assessment; P. Chapman. Tubifex tubifex as a link in food chain transfer of hexachlorobenzene from contaminated sediment to fish; P. Egeler, et al. Bioaccumulation of lindane and hexachlorobenzene by the oligochaetes Enchytraeus Luxuriosus and Enchytraeus albidus (Enchytraeidae, Oligochaeta, Annelida); E. Bruns, et al. Part Six: Ecology. Spatial and temporal variations of oligochaetes of the Ivinhema River and Patos Lake on the Upper Paraná River Basin, Brazil; M.C. Montanholi-Martins, A.M. Takeda. The distribution and ecology of littoral Oligochaeta and Aphanoneura (Annelida) of the Natural and Historical Reserve of Isla Martín García, Río de la Plata River, Argentina; L.C. Armendáriz, I.I. César. Effects of Nais elinguis on the performance of an activated sludge plant; C.H. Ratsak. Half a century of oligochaete research in Estonian running waters; T. Timm, et al. Oligochaeta of the Morava and Odra Riv

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Book SynopsisIn this book, Chapter One explores these conflicts and disputes focusing on the Harapan Rainforest Project, and weighs the relevance of ERCs for German development cooperation. Chapter Two discusses Cambodia, where land use has been changing increasingly as dry evergreen forests are being converted into rubber plantations. Based on the case of Slovenia, Chapter Three shows that social irresponsibility (eg: inadequate spatial planning, lack of supervision, insufficient insurance policies, and a mix of politics and capital influences) is a factor more responsible than climate change for the catastrophic consequences of natural disasters. In Chapter Four, a variety of optical methods is used to investigate the flicker patterns of light in small waterfalls and their splash zones. Chapter Five discusses the Chandrabhaga river basin, where to release partial pressure from ground water, delineation of the alternative surface water irrigation potential zone is necessary for agricultural sustenance. Chapter Six examines the spatial patterns of urban runoff and occurrences of droughts using Geographic Information System and spatial statistics. Chapter Seven seeks to highlight use of innovative and digital tools for improving design process and comfort in the built environment.

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Book SynopsisLocated in the North Western fringes of Africa, Morocco stretches from North to South on approximately 3000 kilometres of Atlantic coasts. It is a very diverse country, encompassing several landscapes, such as high mountains (e.g., the Atlas and the Rif) and various plains and oases. Chapter One addresses key features of Moroccos plant diversity, the originality and importance of this national plant heritage for the present and the future nationally and internationally in the light of growing threats and global environmental and political changes. The purpose of Chapter Two is to palliate to this issue by developing a spectrometric approach for monitoring soils and waters; an approach which is effective, fast, easy to implement and reliable. Chapter Three reports on the emerging challenges facing the Moroccan agricultural sector. Chapter Four describes some essential aspects marking the quantitative evolution of the Moroccan education system and presents the evolution of the main educational indicators. Chapter Five reports on the many efforts that have been made in recent decades in Morocco in the priority areas of sustainable development and the environment to promote a green and inclusive economy while taking into account the threefold aim of respecting the environment, fighting against poverty and sustaining the economic activity. Chapter Six will: 1) focus on sustainable development strategy adopted in the kingdom; 2) concentrate on the economic, social and health system components as health determinants, and finally discus relationships between health- sustainable development and climate change. Chapter Seven will clarify the theoretical concepts underlying the notion of the emergency and the time pressure and will appeal the exploration through a qualitative approach and use individual interviews with Moroccan SMEs managers in the empirical study in order to answer the question.

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Book SynopsisIn chapter one by Antoine P Trzcinski, Ph.D., a simulated Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) was treated in an anaerobic two-stage membrane process in order to develop and optimise said process, effectively allowing for improvement upon the current performances obtained with single stage designs. In chapter two, Huu Tap Van and Van Tuyen Trinh present a study with the intent to improve current methods of removal of organic compounds from landfill leachate by Peozone. In chapter three by Hamidi Abdul Aziz and Hossein Farraji, main hazardous compounds of LL and their expected effects on the environment are introduced, as well as plant-based treatment methods. Next, chapter four by Adekunle A Bakare, Chibuisi G Alimba, Titilayo Hassan, Ebenezer O Ajayi, and Akindayo A Sowunmi explores the 96 h median lethal toxicity and cytogenotoxicity of a sawmill wood leachate from a sawmill dumpsite at Ibadan, Nigeria in Clarias gariepinus were investigated, providing further research on the DNA damaging potential of sawmill wood leachate (SWL) in aquatic vertebrates.

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Book SynopsisGeodiversity is a topic widely researched around the globe and numerous studies have been developed in recent years based on geodiversity and related topics such as geomorphosites and geotourism. In Romania: Environmental, Social and Economic Issues, the authors highlight the diversity of geosites in Anina Mountains, Romania and the role of this high geodiversity in environmental protection, education and socio-economic development.Next, the authors discuss the interest in green technology from the authorities and inhabitants of Romania. Additionally, in Romania there is an increasing interest in building with low pollution, high efficiency and environmental friendliness.In closing, the authors discuss the political crisis of December, 1937 in Romania which caused the formation of the government of O. Goga, the chairman of the National Christian Party. The activities of the government were also interrupted by the King''s decision to establish authoritativeness on 11 February 1938.

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Book SynopsisSince 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed and promulgated numerous regulations to implement the pollution control statutes enacted by Congress. Critics have reacted strongly. Some, both within Congress and outside of it, have accused the agency of reaching beyond the authority given it by Congress and ignoring or underestimating the costs and economic impacts and overestimating the benefits of proposed and promulgated rules.

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Book SynopsisThis compilation opens by presenting a discussion on the main conditions for the successful start-up and operation of full-scale mainstream partial nitrification-anammox technology, advantages of partial nitrification-anammox technology over other technologies of wastewater treatment, and a description of the interactions among key microbial groups and their identification by using metagenomic approaches. Next, one study elucidates the performance of anammox hybrid reactors under various operating conditions to optimize and assess its efficacy and feasibility for nitrogen removal from wastewater. Four numbers of hybrid reactors conglomerating the dual advantages of attached and suspended growth were designed and investigated. The authors seek to produce a soil erosion susceptibility map with selected parameters including elevation, slope, aspect, slope curvature, stream power index, topographic wetness index, cover management factor, land use/land cover, rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, lineament density, distance from lineament, and distance from stream and drainage density. The weighted linear combination method is applied using remote sensing and geographical information system techniques in the Shiri river basin of Darjeeling, Himalaya. The following study addresses the financial and economic benefits of tourism, and whether these economic benefits are to the detriment of the natural environment. This is done by conducting an investigation into community fishing practices around Mnemba Island. Semi-structured interviews were held with Mnemba Island Lodge staff, local fishermen and local authorities involved in the fisheries around Mnemba Participatory observations were also used to support the data collected by the semi-structured interviews. The authors present data suggesting that of insolation is of high importance for the structuring of floodplain ecosystems because it has potential to impact floodplain lakes regardless of flooding. It is proposed that future investigations of floodplain aquatic habitats should take into account insolation effects other than those of hydrology. The closing chapter provides a brief review of anchovy characteristics, habitats, use, and eco-friendly treatment of anchovy waste/wastewater for reutilization. Anchovy is an attractive resource for the production of functional compounds such as antimutagenic, antifungal, antioxidant and antibacterial agents.

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Book SynopsisWith a wide variety of soil and climatic conditions as well as types of landscape in its territory, the Crimean Peninsula has a very long history of economic activity that can be broken down into multiple stages. There was an especially significant change in the natural landscapes on the peninsula during the Great Greek Colonization of the Northern Black Sea coast, when several major agricultural zones emerged in Crimea and the subsequent agricultural impacts on the soils continued for a millennium. The results give an idea about the specifics of the modern landscapes in terms of economic use, as well as human transformation of the original natural landscapes. The traces of land division in the form of linear structures that can be seen in satellite images allow researchers to reconstruct the way that agricultural landscapes were laid out in ancient times by extrapolating from the most significant components (land use and land use planning systems, population centers, transport routes etc.). The authors of this study used natural science methods to study the artifacts and territories of ancient agriculture in Crimea to try and reconstruct the way that land resources were used for agricultural purposes in ancient times and get a comprehensive idea about how ancient agriculture in Crimea was organized and what resources it relied upon. To achieve that, a comprehensive method was developed that included an assessment of the suitability of specific areas for agriculture, identification of surviving agricultural artifacts (land division boundaries (ramparts, ditches), roads, etc.) and a search for soil properties indicative of past agricultural activities. The results of studying the land management and new approaches to defining the boundaries of ancient land use are presented. For the first time, the relic signs of agricultural loads in the post-antique lands have been established. The significance of the results obtained can hardly be overstated when it comes to understanding the ancient agricultural practices and their impact on the existing agricultural landscapes since Crimea is unique in that the traces of ancient agriculture have been preserved here much better than in other parts of the world that used to be sites of ancient civilizations. Preserving the look and feel of ancient agricultural landscapes is a new task. As the authors have demonstrated, this task can be accomplished by integrating the findings of geographical and archeological studies with high tech methods (geo-modeling and automated decryption of remote Earth sensing data).

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Book SynopsisThis compilation highlights current knowledge on iodide mobility in a soil-plant system and provides a theoretical and experimental basis for a better understanding of the geochemical behaviour of iodine in soils, including its availability in the food chain. Following this, the authors provide a comprehensive overview of the uses of iodide salts by focusing on their applications in plants and microbiology, mechanisms of action and possible new uses in histology. The penultimate study contributes to a better understanding of Piauís vegetation through a floristic survey, phytosociological study and knowledge about the economic potential and geographic distribution of species from an area belonging to the municipality of Brasileira, north of Piauí, Brazil. Fifty five families, 126 genera and 141 species represented the flora. Biosphere reserves face the challenge of sustainable development. They have to foster economic development that is ecologically and culturally sustainable. Paradoxically, the demographic-economic-entrepreneurial nexus of biosphere reserves has not been researched, an omission addressed in the closing chapter by studying the towns of the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve in South Africa.

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Book SynopsisThe rapid pace of industrialization and its resulting by-products have affected the environment by producing hazardous wastes, which have been released into the environment. Environmental pollution is a global menace, the magnitude of which is increasing day-by-day due to urbanization, heavy industrialization, and changing lifestyles. Nanostructures as functional building blocks are an ideal candidate for investigation into the dependence of structural, optical, electrical, and magnetic properties of the quantum confinement effect and morphology, which paves the way for novel nanotechnological applications. Both physical and chemical properties of nanostructures are associated with their size, shape, and dimensionality; therefore, morphology controlled synthesis of functional nanostructures gains importance from a scientific and technological perspective. Semiconductor nanomaterials at the nanoscale are gaining significant attention in the areas of energy conversion and storage, sensing, electronics, photonics, and biomedicine. In this book, we discuss semiconducting metal oxide nanostructures like TiO2, ZnO, conducting polymers and nanocomposites for their efficient detection of harmful and toxic chemicals, and nanomaterials for photocatalytic degradation, with an emphasis on the applications of semiconducting materials for renewable energy. The book includes a brief literature survey, properties and the latest research advances in the development of various metal oxide nanostructures, and how nanocomposites and conducting polymer based nanomaterials are efficient for environmental remediation. The application of nanomaterials in the detection and removal of pathogens provides greater sensitivity, lower cost, shorter turn-around times, smaller sample sizes, in-line and real-time detection, as well as higher throughput and portability in environmental remediation. Furthermore, semiconductor photocatalysis for remediation has real potential for combating water pollution. This book provides a comprehensive look at the morphological, structural, crystalline, optical, electrical, and electrochemical properties of semiconducting metal oxides and their applications for environmental cleaning. The preparation and modification of semiconducting nanomaterials could be promising for the reliable and effective detection of harmful chemicals, and renewable energy.

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Book SynopsisEcosystem services provide benefits to humans, including-¯provisioning services (food, water, timber, fibre and genetic resources), regulating services (regulation of climate, floods, diseases and water quality), cultural services (recreational, aesthetic and spiritual), and support services (soil formation, pollination and nutrient cycling). Promoting the concept of ecosystem services reveals the potential of its contribution to environmental wellbeing for conservation and sustainability. Humans, as users of the provided services, benefit from ecosystem services, fostering dependency on nature. The use of ecosystem services may lead to unintended environmental consequences throughout the supply chain. Hence, this book will focus on the services provided for human wellbeing and a multilayer association with human problems worldwide when supply chains are disturbed. Carbon emissions from city areas are responsible for 75% of world carbon dioxide emissions, making them a significant contributor to climate change. Urban populations are early responders to the impacts of climate change. In addition, ecosystem services are influenced by human activities. Domestic and industrial water pollution has led to the contamination of drinking water in many parts of the world. Waste management, such as solid waste management and biomedical waste management, is considered crucial for balancing ecosystem services as a consequence of human activities. In addition, air pollution has become part of ecosystem service disturbance, as it has become a worldwide problem and a major threat to the surrounding environment and human health. The major sources of air pollutants are mobile sources and stationary and transboundary emissions. Human activities, such as mining and exploration, have brought naturally occurring radioactive elements, such as gamma rays, which are present at relatively low concentrations in many geologic formations and earth materials, to the surface and have become a threat to human health. Among others, loud noise exposure in occupational settings has been found to be hazardous to hearing organs. Environmental stressors that lead to ecosystem changes have been shown to trigger noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. The emergence and re-emergence of vector-borne diseases, such as Zika, Dengue and Malaria, are rapidly influenced by changes in ecosystem services. Many studies have been conducted to develop effective vaccines to combat such diseases. New drugs have been developed from natural resources with the aim of combating drug resistance, enhancing efficacy and reducing toxicity. In addition, a health education programme (HEP) is also being developed to improve the quality of life of patients. A broad spectrum of research is reported in this book covering environmental monitoring, modelling, molecular research, natural product discovery and health education programmes, showing the importance of support from ecosystem services that must be preserved for future wellbeing.Table of ContentsPreface; Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Biomedical Waste Management among Laboratory Technologists of Selected Departments in the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia; Knowledge, Awareness and Practice of Climate Change among Communities in Kuala Lumpur; Knowledge, Attitude and Practise of Zika Disease among Environmental and Occupational Health Students at Public Universities in Malaysia; Changes in Particulate Matter Concentrations Due to Vehicular Emissions and Their Influence on Urban Air Quality in Kelantan; Detection of Heavy Metals in Wastewater Discharge from Industrial, Agricultural and Domestic Household Areas Around Kota Bharu, Kelantan; Effect of Absorption of Terrestrial Gamma Radiation to the Body Organs in the Environment of Michika Area North-Eastern Nigeria; Effects of Active Smoking and Second-Hand Smoke Exposure at Home among Adults in the Rural Area of Kampung Beris Lalang, Bachok, Kelantan, Malaysia; A Preliminary Study of Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Its Factors among Firefighters in Malaysia; Composting Using Different Types of Organic Waste from Selected Cafeterias in Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus and Its Effect on Ipomoea Aquatica Growth; In Silico Modelling of the Core Catalytic Site of Chitin Deacetylase from Aspergillus luchuensis; Effect of pH on the Stability of Recombinant Mycobacterium bovis BCG Expressing MSP-1C from Plasmodium falciparum; Index.

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Book SynopsisThere is increasing recognition of the numerous and important services that ecosystems provide to human populations, such as flood protection, water purification, and climate control. Protecting ecological systems and services is part of the EPA''s core mission. This book describes how the EPA can use an "expanded and integrated approach" to ecological valuation to encourage greater collaboration among a wide range of disciplines, including ecologists, economists at each step of the valuation process.

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Book SynopsisWetlands have already been recognised to hold the capacity for efficiently reducing or removing large amounts of pollutants from point sources (e.g. municipal and certain industrial effluents) as well as non-point sources (e.g. mining, agricultural and urban runoff) including organic matter, suspended solids, excess of nutrients, pathogens, metals and other micropollutants. This pollutant removal is accomplished by the interdependent action of several physical, chemical and biological processes which include sedimentation, filtration, chemical precipitation, sorption, biodegradation, and plants uptake among others. In this book, the authors present studies on the ecology, management and conservation of these valuable wetlands.

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Book SynopsisAs defined by the EPA, an environmental management system refers to a set of processes and practices that enable an organization to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operating efficiency. Accordingly, this book presents five chapters that introduce unique perspectives relating to the concept of environmental management. Chapter One describes the results of a large-scale study on the structure and governance of diverse ecosystem services of Bulgarian farms. Similarly, Chapter Two applies a holistic approach in the assessment of the competitiveness of agricultural holdings in Bulgaria as a whole, as well as in terms of their different specialization. Chapter Three includes information that enables the adequate identification of mine waste deposits, in order to evaluate the impact on human and ecological health, and to implement suitable alternatives for their environmental management. Chapter Four reviews the biomonitoring strategies employed to evaluate the negative environmental impact of mining waste, the remediation alternatives for mining-polluted sites, and environmental management approaches. Lastly, Chapter Five presents suggestions of actions for public managers and entrepreneurs of the solid waste sector with the perspective of process automation, waste destination, sustainability of the planet, and the reduction of waste production.Table of ContentsPreface; A Study on Structure and Governance of Ecosystem Services of Bulgarian Farms; Reexamining Competitiveness of Bulgarian Farms; Distribution and Composition of Metallic Mining Solid Wastes in the Central Mexico Region, and the Need for Adequate Environmental Management; Mining Waste Management Alternatives, Biological Monitoring and Bioremediation Strategies; Guidelines for Solid Waste Management: Overcoming Challenges and Exploit Opportunities; Index.

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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 SynopsisFresh water is one of the essential natural resources on Earth, and groundwater constitutes 98% of the liquid fresh water on the planet. Yet, throughout the world, groundwater resources are being depleted, allocated, squandered, contaminated -- but rarely is their fundamental value to humankind thought about or understood! Groundwater for the 21st Century is an effort to increase the groundwater literacy -- from local to global scales, among laymen, students, and professionals -- of citizens of planet Earth. Groundwater for the 21st Century provides two very important perspectives on the resource -- (a) a thorough yet accessible introduction to basic groundwater science and (b) a current, concise but comprehensive overview of groundwater resources and their importance, uses, status, management, and prospects in today''s world. The book is well organised, substantive, clearly written in accessible language, and richly endowed with numerous illustrations and tables. An overview of the book is provided at www.mwpubco.com/titles/groundwater.htm -- and we especially invite readers to review the Author''s (a) Detailed Table of Contents and (b) Expanded Description, both of which are available at the link provided. Why is this Book Important? Groundwater for the 21st Century is the most comprehensive overview available combining groundwater science and groundwater use by humans, and it has been organised and written specifically for use by a wide range of readers of all ages, places, interests, and nationalities who might wish or need to be informed and literate about freshwater issues. The health, food, financial security, and habitability of homes and communities -- the lives -- of billions of human beings depends upon the availability of sufficient amounts of fresh water. This book provides much material with which to inform readers about the nature of water, its distribution, and its uses and abuses by humans. From this, readers will be better prepared to evaluate their own actions and those of their neighbours, communities, and the hierarchy of decision makers that lead, guide, influence, and otherwise shape the present and future world. Who is this book intended for? Groundwater for the 21st Century is intended for the working bookshelves of a very broad audience of readers. After all, groundwater is of often unrecognised but unquestionably absolute value to all of humankind. That broad audience includes (a) individual readers of diverse ages and backgrounds who will seek out this volume on their own to pro-actively inform themselves of freshwater resources and their importance; (b) those who teach, lead, and direct others with respect to informed natural resource management; and (c) those with more advanced knowledge of the subject who might wish to acquaint themselves with some of the broader aspects or relationships of their speciality.

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Book SynopsisFresh water is one of the essential natural resources on Earth, and groundwater constitutes 98% of the liquid fresh water on the planet. Yet, throughout the world, groundwater resources are being depleted, allocated, squandered, contaminated -- but rarely is their fundamental value to humankind thought about or understood! Groundwater for the 21st Century is an effort to increase the groundwater literacy -- from local to global scales, among laymen, students, and professionals -- of citizens of planet Earth. Groundwater for the 21st Century provides two very important perspectives on the resource -- (a) a thorough yet accessible introduction to basic groundwater science and (b) a current, concise but comprehensive overview of groundwater resources and their importance, uses, status, management, and prospects in today''s world. The book is well organised, substantive, clearly written in accessible language, and richly endowed with numerous illustrations and tables. An overview of the book is provided at www.mwpubco.com/titles/groundwater.htm -- and we especially invite readers to review the Author''s (a) Detailed Table of Contents and (b) Expanded Description, both of which are available at the link provided. Why is this Book Important? Groundwater for the 21st Century is the most comprehensive overview available combining groundwater science and groundwater use by humans, and it has been organised and written specifically for use by a wide range of readers of all ages, places, interests, and nationalities who might wish or need to be informed and literate about freshwater issues. The health, food, financial security, and habitability of homes and communities -- the lives -- of billions of human beings depends upon the availability of sufficient amounts of fresh water. This book provides much material with which to inform readers about the nature of water, its distribution, and its uses and abuses by humans. From this, readers will be better prepared to evaluate their own actions and those of their neighbours, communities, and the hierarchy of decision makers that lead, guide, influence, and otherwise shape the present and future world. Who is this book intended for? Groundwater for the 21st Century is intended for the working bookshelves of a very broad audience of readers. After all, groundwater is of often unrecognised but unquestionably absolute value to all of humankind. That broad audience includes (a) individual readers of diverse ages and backgrounds who will seek out this volume on their own to pro-actively inform themselves of freshwater resources and their importance; (b) those who teach, lead, and direct others with respect to informed natural resource management; and (c) those with more advanced knowledge of the subject who might wish to acquaint themselves with some of the broader aspects or relationships of their speciality.

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Book SynopsisThe US Forest Service was established in 1905 and for the following 60-70 years was staffed primarily by men engaged in the production and harvest of timber. Social and economic changes that emerged from the civil rights and environmental movements of the 1960s and 1970s, however, changed the scope and priorities of the service and created opportunities for women to find employment within the agency. Here, career Forest Service employee Lauren Turner offers a brief history of the agency and then profiles the careers of 42 women who have spent most or all of their working lives in that agency. A final chapter provides a frank review of the collective challenges, rewards, and accomplishments of women who have been employed by the Forest Service since the early 1970s. This review is the first of its kind involving women in the Forest Service and, as such, it adds a rich layer to the history of both the agency and that of modern women. In addition, it serves as a beacon to attract and inform young women of today who might themselves be interested in the outdoor, environmentally important work that is undertaken by the Forest Service.

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Book SynopsisUsually, we take for granted or plain ignore the Earth we walk on, the Sky above, the Water we drink and bathe in or that falls as rain, the Fire we assume for heat, and the Wood that makes up our landscape and building materials. But over fifteen years as a construction carpenter, Kate Braid began to pay more attention to the materials she worked with and depended upon. Out of these she has crafted an intimate picture of what it is like to be wholly engaged with the elemental materials of earth, sky, water, fire and wood that we depend upon every day. Elemental is a poignant, intelligent collection that asks us to look more closely at ourselves and the details that construct our rich and delicate world.

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Book SynopsisThe romance of extraction underlies and partly defines Western modernity and our cultural imaginaries. Combining affect studies and environmental humanities, this volume analyzes societies' devotion to extraction and fossil resources. This devotion is shaped by a nostalgic view on settler colonialism as well as by contemporary ?affective economies?. The contributors examine the links between forms of extractivism and gendered discourses of sentimentality and the ways in which cultural narratives and practices deploy the sentimental mode (in plots of attachment, sacrifice, and suffering) to promote or challenge extractivism.

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Book SynopsisSustainable use of natural resources is a key element in the livelihoods of rural people. Especially the poor are often disproportionately affected by environmental degradation: it loosens their production base, makes them vulnerable to health risks, and can result in natural or man-made disasters. Sharing and accumulation of knowledge are important to help rural people make better decisions. This bulletin presents four examples on how projects and organisations in Western Africa deal with the knowledge aspects and capacity development in land resource management. With the ongoing processes of democratic decentralisation and privatisation, more and more actors are expected to play their role in sustainable resource management. The fragmented landscape of actors has huge consequences for the ways knowledge can be developed and shared. The bulletin analyses the examples and draws lessons with respect to the opportunities for knowledge sharing and capacity development. What are key ingredients for a knowledge management strategy? Strategic questions are identified that need attention in policy development both for donor agencies and governments in the region. We conclude that knowledge management is not easy to implement in the current multi-stakeholder context.

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Book SynopsisEconomists studying environmental collective action and green governance have paid little attention to gender. Research on gender and green governance in other disciplines has focused mainly on women''s near absence from forestry institutions. This interdisciplinary book turns that focus on its head to ask: what if women were present in these institutions? What difference would that make? Would women''s inclusion in forest governance - undeniably important for equity - also affect decisions on forest use and outcomes for conservation and subsistence? Are women''s interests in forests different from men''s? Would women''s presence lead to better forests and more equitable access? Does it matter which class of women governs? And how large a presence of women would make an impact? Answers to these questions can prove foundational for effective environmental governance. Yet they have hardly been empirically investigated. In an analysis that is conceptually sophisticated and statistically rTrade ReviewGender and Green Governance is a magisterial work of astounding erudition. While resplendent with field interviews and statistical tables, its ultimate significance is as a thought-provoking examination of political institutionswhat makes them legitimate, efficient, inclusive, representative and stable over time. * Studies in Indian Politics *Gender and Green Governance will rightly be acknowledged as a classic not just in environmental studies, but in studies of development, governance, public action and public service delivery more broadly ... It is a rigorous, engaged and deeply serious exploration of the conditions under which the greater involvement of women in forest management committees improves the quality of environmental (or green) governance ... it is a landmark text. * Stuart Corbridge, The Journal of Development Studies *[A] tour de force ... rigorous, insightful and broad-ranging ... The book is innovative at more levels than one can list. * Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Indian Express *An impressive study of women and community forestry in India and Nepal. * Nancy Folbre, The New York Times *Path-breaking...an immense contribution not only to ecological economics but also to political science, rural sociology, and energy studies...a landmark contribution with depth and insight. * Joan Martinez-Alier, Economic and Political Weekly *An immense, novel contribution to the literature and a milestone in the ongoing debate on forest governance, gender, rural energy and political economy...exceptional. * Kanchana Wickramasinghe, South Asia Economic Journal *A timely reminder of the need for broad-based "Green Governance" which is inclusive of women. While focused on the forestry sector, the book very convincingly establishes the principle of community participation in management, conservation and sustainable use of dwindling natural resources. * Khawar Mumtaz, The Friday Times *Bina Agarwal has crafted a book of central importance in today's world. Both women and their connections with forests have been under-represented in the field, in academic research, and in policy. With analytical rigour and originality, Agarwal bridges these major gaps in our understanding of the difference women can make, when they are actively involved in forest governance. * Elinor Ostrom, Nobel Laureate in Economics 2009 *Beautifully written and soundly argued, this book makes an outstanding contribution to the fields of both environmental economics and governance. Drawing on over a decade of fieldwork in India and Nepal, and eschewing easy generalizations, Bina Agarwal offers a richly layered and insightful treatment of the effects of women's presence in local bodies governing village forests. * Jean-Philippe Platteau, University of Namur and co-author of Halting Degradation of Natural Resources *A nuanced analysis that demonstrates the value of mixed-methods approaches ... an important book. * Ruth Meinzein-Dick, Feminist Economics *Cutting across areas of economics, environmental studies, political economy, gender studies, local green governance and public policy, this book needs to be read by all...this is a book for the people. * Manju Chellani, Indian Journal of Gender Studies *Table of ContentsPART 1: THE POTENTIAL OF PRESENCE; PART 2: THE IMPACT OF PRESENCE; PART 3: BEYOND PRESENCE

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Book SynopsisThe disappearance of tropical forests is a problem for the world environment. In this book, experts on four rainforest sights in Central and South America - Manaus, Brazil; Manu Park, Peru; Barro Colorado Island, Panama; and La Selva, Costa Rica - compare the characteristics of these systems.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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