Why do quaking aspens grow in prominent clumps rather than randomly scattered across the landscape? Why and how does a rufous hummingbird drop its metabolism to one-hundredth of its normal rate? Why do bull elk grow those enormous antlers? Using his experience as a biologist and ecologist, George Constantz illuminates these and other remarkable ......
Natural History A Natural History of the Intermountain West was written to inform people about the wild world around us, with the idea that we all crave a connection to the natural world to ground us and give us a sense of place. It is also a book about change. While species are described throughout the chapters, the text is focused more on the ......
As citizens address the issues of climate change, earth-friendly technologies, and jumpstarting a green economy, environmental politics has gained a prominent position on the American political landscape. U.S. Environmental Policy and Politics: A Documentary History shows readers the many ways throughout American history in which environmental concerns have intersected with issues of energy production and consumption, government regulation, private property rights, economic growth, and lifestyle choices. The primary sources featured in the book illuminate essential events and environmental controversies that have roiled the waters of American politics and policymaking from the colonial era to the twenty-first century. The volume opens with a narrative overview which develops the major environmental themes discussed in the chapters and documents that follow. Each chapter leads with a comprehensive narrative that provides background information necessary for understanding the significance of the primary documents. The wide-ranging document collections include over 150 full and excerpted speeches, writings by conservationists, federal and state legislation, court opinions, testimonies, policy briefs, and more. The documents are preceded by context-setting headnotes which provide information on the key players and events. Some of the topics covered include: Population growth and territorial expansion Toxins and waste disposal Air pollution and climate change Wilderness and species protection Energy production Conservation and environmental justice Land and water use Urban development and public health Mining and logging A timeline listing major events from the colonial era to the present provides an overview of U.S. environmental history, while illustrations and an index further supplement this title. U.S. Environmental Policy and Politics is well-suited for collections at academic, community college, and public libraries. Key Features Thematic, primary source documents Chronological chapters from colonial era to the present Addresses current concerns about climate change and energy conservation Tracks the rise of regulatory agencies
The field of ecological economics developed in the late 1980s at the intersection of the social and natural sciences, with roots in political economy, ecology and biology, and has had a significant impact on research agendas and policy in related fields in subsequent years. This collection of classic and contemporary papers in ecological economics and its precursors includes an introductory essay that explores how the field has developed over time and identifies the main strands in the literature. Volume I reviews the roots and evolution of ecological economics as a field. Volume II examines the methodological and technical challenges posed by the development of a new field at the intersection of a number of mature disciplines. Volume III focuses on the major developments in ecological economics of the last decade. Volume IV looks at the ecological economics of sustainability.
By recognizing marketing as the key to the success of ecologically sound products, this text seeks to define the paradigm of sustainable marketing, and offers criteria for sustainable marketing strategies and products, and more.'
Diminishing oil supplies, global warming due to use of fossil fuels, persistent strife in the Middle East, and increasing demands for energy have led to the search for additional energy sources. Many feel that a significant expansion of nuclear power will be necessary to meet projected needs. However, although nuclear power has been ......
Environmentally sustainable business development is an issue of considerable interest to both the academic and policy communities. However, many of the books written on this subject have tended to neglect the important role played by local and regional factors in determining the successes or failures of attempts to achieve environmentally sustainable development. Drawing upon case studies and other illustrative material, three major themes are explored: the origins and consequences of the major environmental problems that face economic activities; the major contextual and operational issues that confront business; and ways of improving the environmental performance and management of business and the role that such activities can play in local and regional development. The overall structure of the book moves from the global to the local level. Detailed case studies on a local and regional scale illustrate the importance of local action in ensuring the greening of businesses and the contribution that environmentally responsible economic activities can make to achieving sustainable development.
The Historical Ecology Handbook makes essential connections between past and future ecosystems, bringing together leading experts to offer a much-needed introduction to the field of historical ecology and its practical application by on-the-ground restorationists.Chapters present individual techniques focusing on both culturally derived evidence ......
Morgan Bulkeley first saw the Berkshires on a golden fall day in 1928. A school outing brought him to Bear Mountain, where he ate a sandwich ashis eyes feasted on the natural beauty spread before him. He was fourteen and suddenly found himself in love with a place. In more than 100 pithy, beautiful, and frequently witty pieces, Bulkeley records ......
