Product Description
An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It
Customer Reviews:
Incedibly Riveting, Powerful Warning!.......2007-10-15
I came here to write a review and was surprised to see some of the negative comments, especially those written in the style of an elementary school student. Al Gore has written an incredibly revealing look into what lies before us if we leave things the the way they are and ignore the majority of reputable scientists who have the same predictions that Gore espouses. Any idiot can see that the pace of damage that we are experiencing now in the environment cannot be equated to any other time in history. The pictures in Gore's book are not fake. He is not the only one who discusses the issue of future loss of land due to the rising waters. The biggest problem for him is that being involved in politics unfortunately invites those who are on the other side of the aisle to criticize him, even when they know he's right. It's an infantile attitude - one that may very well be responsible for the ultimate destruction of our world as we know it. Next, they will be attacking the Nobel Prize Committee for giving their award to Gore. He well deserves it for his hard work and worthy work. Shame on those who find the need to put their childishly damning comments on here. It reveals so much more about them than it does about Gore.
All fluff, no content.......2007-10-14
There is a great deal of fluff and hysteria, accompanied by lots of heatstring-jerking pictures, in this book. Unfortunately, there is no useful/factual content: the only relevant graph amounts to a prime example for the book "How To Lie With Statistics".
Essential facts which Gore ignores and which destroys his case: (1) the long-term change feared is just one degree per _century_, (2) carbon dioxide is plant food, and (3) climate changes - cope.
SO..... what caused the Mini-ice-age of 1250-1850?.......2007-10-14
Between the years 1250-1850, the earth experienced a Mini Ice Age that froze-over rivers, destroyed England's wine industry, and nearly starved Europe (until they discovered how to use potatoes for nourishment). Al Gore admits in this book, "I don't know."
And that's the fundamental problem.
How can scientists claim, "We can predict future weather", when they don't even know how to explain the past weather events? They know there was a Mini Ice Age, they know the effects it had on humanity, but they don't know WHY it happened. The scientists don't know.
Until scientists learn to explain past Climate Changes,
they shouldn't be making guesses about the future.
One more example of religious fundamentalism and its not Christian or Muslim.......2007-10-14
Wind farms covering the great plains, how many birds do you want to kill, oh come on already! More corn farming driving up food prices. Solar cells that produce more toxic waste in manufacture than the petroleum products they deplore. And the only solution, nuclear power, buried in the fine print. Truly these people are loony , there are conspiracies everywhere, and I have to buy a rowboat now so I can get to Wall Street in few years. Please, 500 years ago the Thames was frozen over. Get a grip, give Al a pill, and remainder this nonsense.
An Incoherent Crock.......2007-10-13
What is important to remember above all else is that Al Gore is a politician and a journalist. He is decidedly NOT a scientist. In short, he is not even remotely qualified to be discussing the science behind global warming. Well, I suppose he's qualified to give a lecture to the average 3rd grade class, but that's about it.
So how do we explain the fact that so many gushing, starry-eyed brethren embrace Gore as some kind of prophet of global warming? More than anything, I suspect it is a reflection of just how incredibly ignorant and naive the American people are. Remember, a British court has ruled that his book is riddled with factual errors (and it is likely worse than the court's ruling). It is a real life manifestation of P.T. Barnum's famous dictum that "A sucker is born every minute."
Our society needs to stop equating fame with expertise. Gore is a famous politician, and his true expertise is as a con man. The scientific arena is the last place he either understands or belongs.
I suspect that in 25 years time the expression "the sky is falling" will pass out of vogue, to be replaced by "that's an inconvenient truth."
I wish I could have rated this piece of scat zero stars.
Book Description
Worldchanging is poised to be the Whole Earth Catalog for this millennium. Written by leading new thinkers who believe that the means for building a better future lie all around us, Worldchanging is packed with the information, resources, reviews, and ideas that give readers the tools they need to make a difference. Brought together by Alex Steffen, co-founder of the popular and award-winning web site Worldchanging.com, this team of top-notch writers includes Cameron Sinclair, founder of Architecture for Humanity, Geekcorps founder Ethan Zuckerman, sustainable food expert Anna Lappé, and many others. Renowned designer Stefan Sagmeister brings his extraordinary talents to Worldchanging, resulting in a book that will challenge readers to personally redefine the conversation about the future.
Each chapter offers readers new answers to key questions, such as:
Why does buying locally produced food make sense?
What steps can I take to influence my workplace toward sustainability?
How do I volunteer, advocate, and give more effectively?
From eco-building to responsible shopping, political action to humanitarian relief, Worldchanging
puts the power to solve problems into the readerÂ's hands.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting but not what I expected.......2007-09-14
This is more like an encyclopedia than "a users guide for the 21st century". The hefty volume includes hundreds of short topical articles on lots of different things but doesn't go into a lot of detail on any. I was hoping for more practical examples of things I could do to survive in a changing world but was disappointed. For example, there is a section on Green Rooftops. You would think that a "users guide" might give you practical advice on creating one. Instead it talks about how they are great for saving energy and creating gardens. Okay... I get that and I agree but maybe a little more info please?
All and all the writing is good and it does cover a lot of topics I just think that the description when buying it leads one to believe there is a bit more depth than there actually is.
This book could change your world.......2007-08-29
This publication is worth it's weight in something quite valuable. It provides a mass of information on all sorts of subjects relating to changing your outlook and how to live within the planets available resources. It has some surprisingly useful tips on things like how to make a small apartment look and feel big by using great space saving ideas; how to use less of the planets scarce resources in many ways.
My only beef is that it looks like a self published volume and so lacks gravitas somehow. For example it does not have any information on the inner fly page about the book, such as year of publication, publisher, ISBN Number, and other essential info. Another problem I found was actually finding some of the reference works in the text. Not enough info to enable the reader to trace sources adequately.
I found it very difficult for example to find the publisher of one work I was interested in. Google hadn't even heard of the publisher. I did find them and the book eventually but had to try very hard and boy, was it obscure.
Even though the jacket and outer are quite attractive, they reek of self-publishing. This is not good for the image of a book on such an important subject.
Sorry chaps, only 6 out of 10 from me.
Good reference.......2007-07-15
Some info is out of date and biased, ie article on Vancouver (my home town). Lots is covered, not in much depth but there are lots of references for further reading. Would be a great addition to everyone's reference section.
brilliant!.......2007-07-12
For a "users guide" I actually expected something more "portable"... its brilliant in its content and design!!
A smart and inclusive book, really recommendable! .......2007-07-03
The book contains small articles about everything between heaven and earth all within the envionmental scope of interest. You find your self reading it, flipping through the pages wanting more info...A fun concept between an excellent encyclopedia, interesting facts book and a nice coffee table book. Only con might be the size, making it a bit bulky to read for more than a short while...
Average customer rating:
|
Our Changing Planet: An Introduction to Earth System Science and Global Environmental Change (3rd Edition)
Fred T. Mackenzie
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Social Services & Welfare
| Poverty
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental Science
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Regional
| Geography
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Geography
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Geology
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Animal Ecology
| Ecology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Conservation
| Environment
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Ecology
| Environment
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Conservation
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental Science
| Earth Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Earth Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Geology
| Earth Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Science Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Outdoors & Nature
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Technical Writer's Companion
-
Financial Accounting: Information for Decisions
-
Flight in America: From the Wrights to the Astronauts
-
General Aviation Law
-
Aviation And the Law, 4th ed
ASIN: 0130651729 |
Book Description
This book offers a general, interdisciplinary discussion of global environmental change oriented toward the non-specialist in science. The unifying theme of the book is consideration of aspects of both natural and human-induced global environmental change. The two part organization according to this distinction allows for easy reading on specific topics. This book is useful for anyone interested in learning more about Earth's systems.
Book Description
Former Vice President Al Gore's New York Times #1 bestselling book is a daring call to action, exposing the shocking reality of how humankind has aided in the destruction of our planet and the future we face if we do not take action to stop global warming. Now, Viking has adapted this book for the most important audience of all: today's youth, who have no choice but to confront this climate crisis head-on.
Dramatic full-color photos, illustrations, and graphs combine with Gore's effective and clear writing to explain global warming in very real terms: what it is, what causes it, and what will happen if we continue to ignore it. An Inconvenient Truth will change the way young people understand global warming and hopefully inspire them to help change the course of history.
Customer Reviews:
This one's for you, kids!.......2007-10-08
The book is broken down into fifteen chapters, culminating in a very optimistic "Crisis = Opportunity," and throughout the text Gore is trying to motivate and encourage the next generation to take up the cause of saving the planet. Gore's optimism makes the reader feel that every chance to turn off an unused light or refill your water bottle is going to make a difference. Peppered with historical facts and dates, and infused with quotes from Mark Twain to Carl Sagan, this effort at educating young adults about the effects of lifestyle choices will make an impact on future generations. I think it is important to empower young people with choice - and the ability to affect change. This would make for excellent required reading.
Nonsense.......2007-10-04
Al Gore has a miserable academic record. For all those still swooning from his "masterful" presentation, I suggest that anyone who flunks divinity school (all 'F''s) is hardly a guy whose opinion I would want on a topic as incredibly complicated as climate theory. Earth's climate is an infinitely complex nonlinear system that some human beings (in their pomposity) suggest that we can "model" and "solve" for the future. ANYONE who has worked with greatly linearized Navier-Stokes equations, that is, coupled integro-differential equations knows the folly and nonsense behind this blatantly political tripe. Al is just an ignorant mouthpiece for the political scientists of the UN IPCC. All of you that buy this nonsense need to go get an education and leave science out of this clearly politically motivated rant for attention by a guy disappointed that he lost the Presidential race. The science in this book is single sided nonsense.
Science, or hysteria ? .......2007-09-28
One core of Gore's position is that the oceans will rise by up to 20 feet, swamping coastal areas like Miami and New York.
This data is wildly off. Even the UN IPCC report states that oceans might rise by up to 17 inches (i.e., less than two feet). Where did Gore get his data ?
Gore has shown pieces of Antarctica breaking off and falling into the ocean. This looks dramatic, until you realize that this part of Antarctica has always done that, (grown and then broken apart), and represents the 3 % of that continent, which is not 1-mile + thick ice that is actually gaining in mass. 97 % of Antarctica is actually gaining mass. Gore chooses the 3 % of the continent that is not stable and then basically says "We did this with our SUVs and materialistic lifestyle".
The reality is that global warming is NOT the main issue of our times. Things like Africans dying of AIDs and malaria is, and can be dealt with far more efficiently, than throwing $ 5 trillion into the Kyoto Treaty, which would result in the global climate changing by about 0.3 degrees in 50 years (i.e. having almost no effect).
If you want a picture of the real state of the world, read the books by Prof. Bjorn Lomborg. Gore is a politician. Lomborg is a researcher.
Gore has admitted that he wants our generation to have a "mission". This issue, global warming, fits that. But that doesn't mean I have to go along. I personally think that global warming is a "rich man's issue". It is the kind of thing that people in Santa Monica and Martha's Vineyard and Boston care about, because they think that their beach villa might be swamped. The reality is, while we think about this, Africans are dying of AIDs. And we can help them today, by spending some money on it.
Is global warming an issue: yes. Is it the main issue of our time ? No. Of course, we should do what we can to help the planet and reduce our CO2 output. Lomborg suggests cost-effective ways to do that.
But claiming that New York City will be swamped when the ocean rises "20 feet" is just ridiculous. Trust me, land prices in 25 years along the coasts will have risen even higher than today (if Gore were right, we would see land prices plummet, because who wants to buy land that is under water) ?
By the way, I read someone that Gore's personal "carbon footprint" is something like 20 times higher than the average American. Liberals live under the motto: "do as I say, not as I do".
Have they made Gore a saint yet?.......2007-08-29
I have seen the DVD and obviously was impressed. I got the book because I wanted to be able to get more details on the information Al Gore presents on the DVD, and the book provides that abundantly.
This one lone man courageously and determinedly crusades on and on, in the past with little encouragement, to research global warming and the warn the world, at least those who will listen. Where are the scientists that (probably because of money under the table, so the speak) denied global warming for so long? Hard to do so now. Now the corporate-motivated trick is to deny that at least part of global warming is man-made, this in the face of mounting evidence.
If you have children, or grandchildren, my advice: Don't hide your head in the sand. You owe it to them to become informed.
Get this book or the DVD. Very well written, very well made.
A must read!.......2007-08-21
My first impression upon reading this book was utter amazement and fear. In fact, "An Inconvenient Truth" is billed as the scariest book you'll ever see. Could it be that life on Earth as we know it will end within the next 50 years? It did not take me long to feel that this may be the most important documentary of all time (and the scariest one)!
In this book, Al Gore draws attention to the crisis of global warming. Gore blames CO2 for the temperature hikes we are experiencing worldwide. This documentary is basically a filmed version of the lectures that Gore has presented over 1,000 times to audiences all over the world.
Gore left me no room for doubt regarding the reality of global warming as Earth's ultimate environmental crisis and eventual doom. I was fascinated and convinced by his thorough presentation. And I am not alone to feel this way. Here is what other reviewers on amazon.com have said about this book:
A. A must see; a must think.
B. The most important film I have ever seen.
C. Very important; watch & watch again.
D. What in the world are we waiting for?
E. Required Viewing.
F. Save this planet by individual action.
G. Eye-opening!
H. Al Gore is the smartest man on this doomed planet!
I. Great inspiring movie. Please see it and let's change the way we live.
J. The truth is very disturbing, but you need to see it.
K. Don't Blow it! Good planets are hard to find.
L. Spread the Truth.
M. A must see for every resident of planet earth.
N. Stunning! Seeing this film is one of the most important things you can do all year.
O. Only 50 years from now... If you LOVE your CHILDREN, do you part to help NOW!
Al Gore's message is quite clear: Our planet is dying due to the fact that the world is steadily getting warmer. The question is what does this mean for all of humanity and what can we do about it? This film argues the case that the effects of global warming will continue, and indeed steadily get worse.
As I was reading the reviews on amazon.com, I found more and more people disagreeing with Al Gore. Some accused him of political manipulation. He is instilling fear in us in order for us to vote for him on the next presidential race. In other words, unless we vote for him, global warming is going to get worse and the icecaps are going to melt and we are all going to die by drowning!
Some mistrust Gore. Some have exclaimed, "Isn't this the guy who said he invented the internet!?" Others believe that he is selling snake oil and that there is no truth in his claims. After all, they say, he is not a scientist. Shouldn't this documentary have been presented by a scientist? Furthermore, why did Gore not do something about Global Warming when he was vice-president and in a better position to do so?
Many scientists in fact argue that his facts are not sound and that there is no correlation between CO2 and global warming.
So which is it? Is Al Gore right and doomsday is within 50 years from now, or is this just an exaggeration and unsound science?
Now I am not a scientist and am very new to this subject. With that said, here is the other side of the coin:
(1) Gore says that Earth is heating up because of man-made pollutants, which are raising the level of CO2 in the air. This CO2 traps the radiated heat from the Earth, thus warming up our planet. However, not only is Earth heating up, but all of the other planets in the solar system as well. If this is so, then our man made CO2 emissions aren't the major reason for the heating of the planet. If you visit the NASA website, you'll see that the Martian ice caps are melting too! So what could be the reason for this global warming? The primary source of heat on Earth, or anywhere in our solar system, is the Sun. If it wasn't for the sun, Earth would be a ball of ice. Our Sun goes through cycles. The Earth warms or cools with increased or decreased solar activity in the sun. This is not hard to visualize since a slight change in the Sun's angle turns summer to winter or winter to summer, a difference of several degrees! Our sun could therefore be the main reason behind our global warming.
(2) The earth has had many cooling and warming cycles for thousands of years, long before man could possibly contribute to it. The planet has seen far more severe climate changes than what we might experience and such changes have neither destroyed the planet nor the life upon it.
(3) One volcanic eruption (such as Mt. Pinatubo's volcanic eruption in the 90's) causes far more pollution and Co2 gases than our industries. During the Gulf War in 1991, when Saddam Hussein set fire to the Kuwaiti oil fields, more pollutants had been released in the air in one go than in any other time in history.
(4) We exhale CO2! Does this mean in order to have less CO2 in the air we must have less people on our planet? We are presently 6 billion people on Earth, and this number is rapidly increasing.
(5) Sea level has been rising at a rate of 1.8 mm per year for the past millenniums. Many scientists believe that the worst case scenario is a 2 feet rise in sea level within the next 100 years! Gore believes that we will be seeing a sea level rise of 20 feet in the next 50 years.
In a nutshell, no one really knows enough about the global climate to really say what definitively will happen within the next 50 years. In fact, no one really knows what the weather will be in the next few days (`This will be a sunny weekend,' exclaims the weatherman, only to have a rainy weekend).
The best we can do is to listen to all sides of an issue and then come to an educated opinion of our own. We should not let others do the thinking for us. This doesn't mean we can keep polluting the air we breathe. Everyone should do their part in trying to keep the environment clean.
I certainly enjoyed reading this book. At least it got me thinking!
Book Description
Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5000 Pounds is a book that is destines to become a movement. Arriving just in time to meet the groundswell of demand created by An Inconvenient Truth, it guides readers through an accessible step-by-step program for personal CO2-reduction that leaves them empowered and inspired at the difference they can make toward the issue of our time.
Grounded in over two decades of environmental behavior change research, this illustrated workbook offers readers much more than a to-do list of eco-friendly actions. With practicality and humor, bestselling author and environmental change pioneer David Gershon walks readers through every step of the carbon-reduction process, from calculating their current CO2 footprint to tracking their progress and measuring their impact. By making simple changes to actions they take every day, readers learn how to reduce their annual household CO2 output by at least 15%. And, for those who are more ambitious, there are chapters on how to become "carbon neutral" and help one's workplace, local schools and community do the same.
A recent Yale University study revealed that over three-quarters of Americans not only accept the reality that their lifestyle is contributing to climate change; they believe they have a responsibility to do something about it. Now, with the release of Low Carbon Diet, they have a practical tool to help them succeed.
Customer Reviews:
Best Diet Book I've Read.......2007-10-16
I read many environmental books, most of which scare you with the doom and gloom before attempting to give you solutions. This book gives you the tools you need to make a difference on a worldwide problem. I highly recommend reading it and unlike most diet books - practice these tips the rest of your life.
The books are lost.......2007-08-16
I have not received these items, they seem to have gotten lost in the mail. it says they were delivered, but they cannot be found in the building where they were shipped. Please advise on how to get the books, can we get them resent? we were charged money for them, but still havent seen them.
Leah Elimeliah
an accessible program for losing carbon "pounds".......2007-07-09
This new program to help people move beyond hand-wringing over global warming and onto concrete things they can do to address the problem is accessible, approachable, something many people and families should be able to pick up and use. The book is short, only 72 pages, and only the first few pages are spent on describing the problem: global warming. The rest of the book takes you by the hand and leads you through some straightforward actions you, anyone, can take. There are 22 actions in all, divided into three sections. The first describes "cool lifestyle practices," habits or behaviors you can change immediately (reducing garbage, taking shorter showers, driving less). Each action is quantified, in terms of how much carbon will be reduced as a result. The second section describes "cool household systems," making more significant changes or purchases to your car, appliances, or household systems (sealing air leaks, buying a hybrid car, tuning up your furnace). The third describes spreading the word: to your workplace, friends, community, kids' schools, etc. The idea is to commit to "losing" 5,000 pounds/yr (a roughly 10% cut in the average US household's energy usage). But you can choose which actions you want to take, and which you don't, to reach your goal, making it a flexible tool.
The program can be undertaken by an individual or a family alone, but the recommended process is organize a group of 5-8 households to do it together, over the course of four meetings, supporting each other through the process.
The program grows out of years of research by the Empowerment Institute on what it takes to make social change happen. This differentiates the book from others aimed solely at getting people to understand the problem of global warming. The book's strength lies here: in giving people a user-friendly tool to help move beyond rhetoric and into action.
Fun, Inspiring and Practical.......2007-01-29
The carbon diet program provided our household a way to learn what
our carbon footprint was (shockingly massive) and a way to reduce our
impact on the earth in a fun, inspiring and practical manner.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to do more than just read
about global warming. The Low Carbon Diet is the book you need
to learn how to make a real difference.
Buy Ten Copies--Create a Good Neighborhood.......2007-01-28
This book is about more than reducing the carbon foot-print of your home, it is tailor made for creating a good neighborhood by giving busy neighbors distanced by suburban sprawl or urban anonymnity a really fun and rewarding focal point for coming together.
There are twenty-two specific things that one can do in their home or in relation to their local school or community (most have to do with the home).
I see a real opportunity for a third party developer at Amazon to create a niche business--what I really need as a busy professional is a single Amazon URL where I can go and select all of the low-cost products needed to implement this book's recommendations (e.g. the water-saver showerhead with the instant off-on lever), have them charged to my Amazon account, and delivered to my front door.
I'd also like to see a way for people to register their homes the way we register Wildlife Habitats--completing this check-list should allow registry of the home and count toward the appraisal value.
I recommend the book be bought in lots of 10, used to bring together the other 9 houses nearest you, and then passed on down the neighborhood.
The resource section at the end is helpful, and I was especially struck by the disaster resilience recommendations. I know a lot of otherwise mainstream folks that are starting to sign up for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Red Cross courses on disaster relief, earning the green hard-hat and body covering. Something is happening at the grass roots level--a combination of innate fear that the federal and state governments will fail us as they did with Katrina, and a more constructive sense of responsibility, with more people realizing that resilience starts at the local level with specific individuals planning and preparing so as to prevent local disasters from becoming catastrophes.
For related reading on the psychology of what prevents people from preparing and reacting, see my review of "Catastrophe & Culture: The Anthropology of Disaster." Disasters do NOT have to become catastrophes, we make them so through denial before, during, and after.
Book Description
An eminently readable and often humorous critique, Meltdown documents hundreds of exaggerations from scientists, politicians and the media, and ties them together with the common thread of rational self-interest.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book for Retarded People.......2007-10-11
Great book for reading on the special little bus whilst trying not to drool on ones self. Another gem from the Fundamentalist Capitalist Fanatics crowd at the Cato Institute. The era of the of the mindless "think tanks" shall be remembered with glee by the those of us waiting to sue the pants off them as soon as we get ourselves together. Great book for retards.
An important book about the "science" of global warming.......2007-07-08
This book deals with many of the common myths regarding global warming using facts instead of personal attacks in order to deal with the many issues and constituencies who have a stake in the global warming debate. Michaels shows that far from there being a "consensus" about global warming, there is a vast group of special interests who distort facts, ignore real scientific research, and create "facts" out of fiction.
Michaels gives many examples of supposedly scientific conclusions about global warming are really a closed loop of closed minds who exclude any evidence that questions the reasons behind global climate changes.
Are there holes in the Arctic sea ice in the summer.? Yes, but they have always shrunk and expanded over millions of years. Is the Antarctic getting warmer or colder? Yes and no, depending on which part of this vast area you are measuring. Are CO2 levels increasing? Yes, but they are no where close to historical levels reached many times in the past. Polar bears on the verge of extinction? Not when the truth is that there are more of them now than at any other time in history (and eating those cute little fur seals in record numbers, no less.)
The list of currently held myths are dealt with in a very objective fashion, backed up by real research, and showing the earth to be a very complicated system, which is not very well understood. Michaels does a great job of showing that many of the things we think we understand about climate change are really not what you read in the newspapers.
If you are looking for a book that deals with the many arguments used in the global climate change debate in a fair and objective way, this is the best of the lot. But of course Michaels is attacked because he does not rely on tax money for a living, unlike the hundreds of thousands of politicians, bureaucrats, media people and their ilk who flood the world with hysterical stories about the end of the world due to global warming when the evidence is quite to the contrary.
The irony of course is that many who see a great conspiracy in those who question the reasons behind climate change somehow blame "big oil" for asking questions about a supposedly finished debate. They obviously have failed to notice, as Michaels has, that most advertising by "big oil" today is to embrace the agenda of the Gores of the world so that they can make even more money trading "carbon credits" which do nothing to reduce air pollution, and not have to spend a dime for oil exploration.
The reality distortion machine.......2007-06-26
Global warming alarmists follow the rules set down by Leon Trotsky when he established the Soviet Union's Agitprop program. Lie, lie, lie. Spread false stories over and over again. Helped by sympathizers and left-wing media, the lies will soon become accepted as truth. Over and over again in the 20th Century, we saw the basic concepts of Soviet Agitprop employed.
Patrick Michaels demonstrates how these concepts are being once again deployed by the global warming alarmists. The global warming lobby is not monolithic. Some members are motivated by nothing more than simple greed: academics who must have grant money in order to keep their jobs. They often have no political purposes, just a need for public money to pay their salaries and fringe benefits. Some non-academics are simply cause hustlers: saving the planet is a potent headline for fund-raising solicitations. Others, the real movers and shakers, want to change the world, they want a single world governmenr to rule the lives of everyone. (It is neither accident nor coincidence that Earth Day is also Lenin's birthday.)
Here Michaels dissects the process of distortion engaged in by the various pressure groups and the media. For example, one interesting graph depicts the way UN IPPC projections of temperature change are consistently amplified in the media, regardless of what the IPPC report actually predicts. The pernicious influence of monopolistic government funding producing an echo chamber of politically correct peer-reviewed "studies" is especially interesting. In short, you don't get financed and certainly not published if you don't agree in advance that your findings will support the "consensus" position.
One by one, with ample supporting documentation, Michaels blows apart what amount to media myths about global warming.
This is a must-read book for anyone attempting to get at the truth of global warming.
Jerry
Meltdown: The Predictable Distortion of Global Warming by Scientists, Politicians, and the Media.......2007-06-08
This is a brilliant and witty review of the issues concerning global warming.
Independent Thinkers Beware!.......2007-06-04
Mr. Michaels is a member of no less that 20 institutes, think tanks, and other national groups that receive significant funding from Exxon--places like the Cato Institute, the Heritage Foundation, the George C. Marshall Institute, and the Heartland Institute. He also admits that he has accepted funding from various fossil fuel industry groups. One would have to suspend a lot of disbelief to think that such a well-funded person is not serving as a spokesperson for these industries, or, at least, is badly, badly compromised.
Average customer rating:
- Thank goodness for a voice of reason
- Best book I have read in a long time
- Bjorn Lomborg is the Waylon Smithers of the corporate world
- The Real Deal
- A Fraud perpetrated on the Gullible
|
The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World
Bjorn Lomborg
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Development & Growth
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Statistics
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Natural Resources
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Popular Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Public Policy
| Government
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental Science
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Agricultural Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Animal Ecology
| Ecology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ecology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Environmental
| Civil
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Agricultural Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Ecology
| Biological Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental Science
| Earth Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Ecology
| Environment
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
All Deals
| Blowout Books
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Blowout Books
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Blowout Books
| Stores
| Books
Outdoors & Nature
| Blowout Books
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Blowout Books
| Stores
| Books
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Engineering
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Outdoors & Nature
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Outdoors & Nature
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Global Crises, Global Solutions
-
Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist's Guide to Global Warming
-
Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years
-
Meltdown: The Predictable Distortion of Global Warming by Scientists, Politicians, and the Media
-
Shattered Consensus: The True State of Global Warming
ASIN: 0521010683 |
Book Description
Bjørn Lomborg, a former member of Greenpeace, challenges widely held beliefs that the world environmental situation is getting worse and worse in his new book, The Skeptical Environmentalist. Using statistical information from internationally recognized research institutes, Lomborg systematically examines a range of major environmental issues that feature prominently in headline news around the world, including pollution, biodiversity, fear of chemicals, and the greenhouse effect, and documents that the world has actually improved. He supports his arguments with over 2500 footnotes, allowing readers to check his sources. Lomborg criticizes the way many environmental organizations make selective and misleading use of scientific evidence and argues that we are making decisions about the use of our limited resources based on inaccurate or incomplete information. Concluding that there are more reasons for optimism than pessimism, he stresses the need for clear-headed prioritization of resources to tackle real, not imagined, problems. The Skeptical Environmentalist offers readers a non-partisan evaluation that serves as a useful corrective to the more alarmist accounts favored by campaign groups and the media. Bjørn Lomborg is an associate professor of statistics in the Department of Political Science at the University of Aarhus. When he started to investigate the statistics behind the current gloomy view of the environment, he was genuinely surprised. He published four lengthy articles in the leading Danish newspaper, including statistics documenting an ever-improving world, and unleashed the biggest post-war debate with more than 400 articles in all the major papers. Since then, Lomborg has been a frequent participant in the European debate on environmentalism on television, radio, and in newspapers.
Customer Reviews:
Thank goodness for a voice of reason.......2007-08-12
No one denies that there is warming. What *is* being disputed is what are the causes.
Fact: solar changes are far more significant than human causes.
Fact: there have always been changes in overall temperatures.
Fact: many of the temperature collection locations are ill-chosen (changes over time) and ill-maintained (many in Russia e.g.).
Fact: many of the suggested "fixes" for warming will do little for global temperatures, but will be catastrophic for the economy.
Best book I have read in a long time.......2007-08-08
Finally, a book that puts perspective and context to the environmental movement. Yes, we have problems and Yes, we have come a long way in the last century. It provides optimism that together we can solve tomorrow's environmental/quality of life problems. And does this with humor, population increases, quote: "it is not that we have begun breeding like rabbits, but that we are not dying off like flies" that is driving population increases, which should flatten around 12 billion by 2050 or so. And, is this sustainable, yes and no. Read the book.
Bjorn Lomborg is the Waylon Smithers of the corporate world.......2007-07-30
Paper not even worthy a cleaning up after Fido, Bjorn breaks out his best "Pollyanna" dress for Sunday brunch with this sunny side up rotten egg! Undigestable for real scientists, but bubble boys and zombies on a healthy diet of televised info-tainment will eat it up. Pure nonsense.
The Real Deal.......2007-05-19
I have always been deeply skeptical of any "study" or "survey" that does not include numbers and verifiable references. This is not the case in this book. It is well researched and you don't have to be a statistician to understand the graphs and references. Of course since it reflects my empirical world view quite closely (my husband asked if I had written it), I enjoyed it all the more. However, the chapter on global warming is not for the faint of heart. The U.N.'s plan for the way you and I should live scared the socks off me. As an antidote for your chills I suggest you Google "Little Climate Optimum".
A Fraud perpetrated on the Gullible.......2007-05-10
Bjorn Lomberg, a political scientist in Denmark, has become the darling of the anti-environmentalist movement with the claim that he started as an environmentalist, and has disproved their claims. He his book has been found by the Danish government's Committee on Scientific Dishonesty, to be "deemed to fall within the concept of scientific dishonesty. ...In view of the subjective requirements made in terms of intent or gross negligence, ... the publication is deemed clearly contrary to the standards of good scientific practice."
Lomberg was only aquitted on the grounds that he was not, as claimed, an environmentalist. His claim that he was involved in Greenpeace was later found also to be in error, as an examination of Greenpeace records never showed him to have ever been a member. He later claimed that he had at some time, donated money to the organisation.
The book it appears contains 111 outright errors and 208 flaws.
Book Description
Heat: How to Stop the Planet From Burning marks an important moment in our civilization's thinking about global warming. The question is no longer
Is climate change actually happening? but
What do we do about it? George Monbiot offers an ambitious and far-reaching program to cut our carbon dioxide emissions to the point where the environmental scales start tipping back-away from catastrophe.
Though writing with a "spirit of optimism," Monbiot does not pretend it will be easy. The only way to avoid further devastation, he argues, is a 90% cut in CO
2 emissions in the rich nations of the world by 2030. In other words, our response will have to be immediate, and it will have to be decisive.
In every case he supports his proposals with a rigorous investigation into what works, what doesn't, how much it costs, and what the problems might be. He wages war on bad ideas as energetically as he promotes good ones. And he is not afraid to attack anyone-friend or foe-whose claims are false or whose figures have been fudged.
After all, there is no time to waste. As Monbiot has said himself, "we are the last generation that can make this happen, and this is the last possible moment at which we can make it happen."
George Monbiot is the best-selling author of
The Age of Consent and
Captive State, as well as the investigative travel books
Poisoned Arrows,
Amazon Watershed, and
No Man's Land. In 1995, Nelson Mandela presented him with a United Nations Global 500 Award for outstanding environmental achievement. He has held visiting fellowships or professorships at the universities of Oxford (environmental policy), Bristol (philosophy), Keele (politics), and East London (environmental science). Currently visiting professor of planning at Oxford Brookes University, he writes a weekly column for the
Guardian newspaper.
Ã,Â
Customer Reviews:
Can't stop talking about it........2007-07-21
George Monblot brings together the research (encouraging and discouraging) about many sources of energy including: oil, gas, coal, solar, wind, helium, tidal, gravity, biofuels, passive houses. He is extremely readable to anyone with a general understanding of science and a curiosity for these matters. He believes that people in the western world, with the best of intentions, will not make the necessary cutbacks in personal use of fossil fuels without the incentive of government policies. He is insistent while optimistic about the future of this world. "I hope to prompt you...to force [our governments] to reverse their policies..." He speaks with passion and a wry sense of humor giving us the "how to" of saving our biosphere. "Failing all that, I have one last hope; that I might make people so depressed about the state of the planet that they stay in bed all day, thereby reducing their consumption of fosil fuels." I can't stop talking about this book.Heat: How to Stop the Planet from Burning
Guaranteeing failure.......2007-07-21
Like many other books on climate change, this one assumes that if we reduce emissions, we can solve global warming.
Monbiot conjectures his way through a 90 percent reduction in the UK's carbon emissions. The premise is that if this were possible worldwide by 2030, world climate could "stabilize" at 450 ppm or so of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
His avowed purpose is to equip us with the arguments, technologies, and ideas to turn the situation around. But it is a strangely schizoid book, because 1) there is no provision for reclaiming the excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which will continue to heat the oceans and so on for 100 years, and 2) Monbiot knows that the message of "less" is politically infeasible in a democracy, particularly if the advocated solution won't solve the problem. It's like asking a chronically overweight person to lose weight by self-restraint alone, without exercise or other changes in attitude or lifestyle. Governments know, he writes, that "inside their electors is a small and insistent voice asking them both to try and to fail."
At the end of the book, in a remarkable passage, he almost confirms that effective solutions are beyond reach.
"For the campaign against climate change is an odd one. Unlike almost all the public protests which have preceded it, it is a campaign not for abundance but for austerity. It is a campaign not for more freedom but for less. Strangest of all, it is a campaign not just against other people, but also against ourselves."
If this noose around your neck discourages you from jumping into the fray, you're probably not alone.
A far more practical and hopeful look at the climate situation can be found in Priority One: Together We Can Beat Global Warming by Allan Yeomans (disclosure--I'm the US publisher, and it's a zero-profit operation). This unorthodox book shows how we can both stop using fossil fuels AND reclaim the excess carbon from the air back into the soil, where much of it came from in the first place.
Visionary and Practical--on the key issue of our times.......2007-07-18
Heat is a powerful, challenging and immensely useful book. It asks the hard question: What it would really take, in all the details, to shift our industrial carbon-dependent economy, in all its minute particulars, over to one that's sustainable? To do it with dramatic enough reductions of CO2 that we aren't even in the danger zone for the worst of the global warming cataclysms. And to do it in a way that is equitable for the rich nations and the poor nations, which means not just slamming the door on those just beginning to develop and saying, too bad.
I'm not certain I agree with Monbiot's every conclusion. I make my living lecturing on issues like global warming and have a certain vested interest in hoping they'll come up with a technical fix for airline travel. And he may be too harsh on the Clinton administration, though Clinton folded all too quickly once he got resistance in the Senate. But you don't need to totally agree with the book to recognize that it makes a major contribution. He looks at how we can heat our houses, travel to our work and to our friends, shop for goods we want and need, and generally maintain our twenty-first century lives, while making the radical shifts that may be necessary.
He asks the questions in a way that I haven't seen anyone else undertake. And by so doing, really helping us think through the different options. The book combines a visionary sense with hard-headed pragmatism in a way that I really admire.
Paul Loeb
Author Soul of a Citizen: Living With Conviction in a Cynical Time & The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizen's Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear
Excellent book on global warming.......2007-07-16
Monbiot's book is very well researched. He presents an estimate of the level of greenhouse gas reductions we must achieve, and his plan on how we could realistically achieve it in each sector (transportation, home, industry, etc.). It's easy for the layman to understand, very well thought out, and well presented. An excellent book!
Heat is a Must Read.......2007-07-09
In Heat: How to Stop the Planet Burning, George Monbiot shows how our carbon emissions can be reduced by 90% by 2030 - without bringing civilization to an end. He shows how we can transform our houses, our power and our transport systems. But he also argues that this can happen only with a massive program of action which no government has yet been prepared to take.
By showing that we can save the biosphere without losing our comfort and security, Monbiot sweeps away the politicians' perpetual excuse for doing nothing: that it would be too painful and expensive to sustain life on earth.
In every case, he supports his proposals with a rigorous investigation into what works, what doesn't, how much it costs and what the problems might be. He wages war on bad ideas as energetically as he promotes good ones. He is not afraid to attack anyone - friend or foe - whose claims are false or whose figures have been fudged. HEAT also contains a breath-taking new exposure of the corporations trying to stop us from taking action.
This book contains information that every human should have. The challenge is how to disseminate the information, and empower the people so that we can make a change in the status quo at a much faster rate than that usually takes.
Book Description
Today's headlines and recent events reflect the gravity of climate change. Heat waves, droughts, and floods are bringing death to vulnerable populations, destroying livelihoods, and driving people from their homes.
Rigorous in its science and insightful in its message, this atlas examines the causes of climate change and considers its possible impact on subsistence, water resources, ecosystems, biodiversity, health, coastal megacities, and cultural treasures. It reviews historical contributions to greenhouse gas levels, progress in meeting international commitments, and local efforts to meet the challenge of climate change.
The atlas covers a wide range of topics, including
warning signs
future scenarios
vulnerable populations
health
renewable energy
emissions reduction
personal and public action
With more than 50 full-color maps and graphics, this is an essential resource for policy makers, environmentalists, students, and everyone concerned with this pressing subject.
Customer Reviews:
Geography of Climate Change Issues.......2007-09-12
This is an excellent book for those wishing to study the issue of climate change from a geographical standpoint. The maps are excellent - they show exactly where evidence is being found to support global warming, what aeas of the world will be most impacted by global warming, and which nations have committed resources to slowing carbon emissions.
It is a visual guide to global warming, giving a very graphic perspective of the earth as a whole. The scientific explanations of the interacting systems of global winds, ocean currents, atmospheric gasses, and how they are being affected by human alterations, are particularly easy to understand because of the clear diagrams and colorful maps.
As an instructor of physical geography, I find this to be an excellent book for the non-scientist to undertand the physical processes and the science of global warming. The detailed yet easy-to-understand maps and diagrams add another dimension to an often dry and theoretical topic.
Good effort but misses a major point.......2007-04-19
This book enters the fray with a good overview relative to alternative energy as the answer - but, in my opinion, fails to embrace the "source" of today's dilemma. To precipitate a change in climate - we need a sea-change in the overall interaction of humanity with water. To achieve this, it would be wise for each of us to become conscious of how our daily decisions impact the world within our reach. What products we buy, how we use energy, the examples we set, what we say to others, how we help ease the burden of other life forms we come into contact with - all have an impact on water and the future of life in our biosphere. And, it is the condition of water within our biosphere that will determine the success or failure of our civilization.
Excellent Understandable Information!.......2007-03-21
My title says it all! This book is easy to read, pleasant to the eyes with its use of color and visuals, and food for the mind. At last, someone has taken pity on individuals who hear about climate change problems, but have not had the facts about it. I think this book is useful for everyone, and can be used in church, school, and living room settings.
Jay S. Southwick
Adequate intro/primer on climate change, inadequate and biased view of how to fix it.......2007-02-14
The authors do an adequate job of presenting the crisis of climate change in the first four chapters. The book is touted as being scientifically rigorous while Bo Kjellen, in the forward, states that it 'provides facts enabling readers to form an independent view of the problems.' This is true for the first 4 chapters. But when it comes to solutions, both of these authors are clearly in the anti-nuclear 'camp' for alternative energy policy. On page 11 they make this sweeping negative statement:
"Concerns over safety and long term storage of rad waste remain and it is not clear that its potential as an adaptation to climate change offers sufficiently strong justification to overcome economic barriers."
And so nuclear energy quickly gets buried by these authors, never to return again in this title. No sources are cited for this justification. No maps/statistics of countries with successful nuclear energy programs like France and Japan. No mention of nuclear energy's safety record in the US or worldwide (compared to natural gas, coal, oil). No chapter on the pros and cons of the latest nuclear energy technology. No estimation of energy demands the US will have when we're past the peak of oil and gas (which may have occured). No talk of eliminating dependency on foreign oil or the need for immediate and massive carbon emission reductions that are ONLY possible--in the short run-- w/ nuclear energy. It's that simple...minded.
Why is this bias so prevalent? James Lovelock in the REVENGE OF GAIA treats this uninformed bias(propaganda?)in some detail in his chapter Sources of Energy. The romantic notion that renewable energy (4% of current world totals) will have significant impact on adequately quelling carbon emissions is the modern day techno-barbarism promoted by these authors. Yes, renewables (geothermal tidal, solar, etc.) WILL rise in use world wide, but to put such faith in renewables when a 60-80% reduction of carbon is needed for survival (according to the EU) is tantamount to deception on a personal and public level that only a J. Lovelock could expose, and so vividly. Again, I refer the reader--especially those with strong anti-nuke feelings-- to Lovelock's latest release to get his rationale for what the stakes are at this stage of our climate history.
Lovelock and many others like myself are simply tired of the 'happy talk' babbling on renewables coming from authors like these as exemplified on page 87:
"Reducing carbon emissions to this extent will require massive changes to the world's carbon-based economy and our current inefficient use of energy. The GOOD NEWS is that many of the required technologies, such as geothermal, solar, and wind power, already exist, and there are many opportunities to improve and expand on their use." Really? Again, what place does nuclear energy, which accounts for 20% of the energy production in the U.S., have in all of this? None for these two. This is absurd.
Of course nuclear energy is not an approved or 'required' technology for these two authors. Contrary to any 'economic barriers' cited by Dow and Downing, the real barrier promulgated by these authors--and the uniformed public--has to do with ignorance, which ends up driving a flawed political agenda for addressing climate change. (And don't the oil execs love that!)
The views in this book express an unscientific bias that fails to even consider the science, risks, and refined technology of current nuclear energy that one finds in Nuttall's book THE NUCLEAR RENAISSANCE (2005). The dramatic carbon decrease from nuclear energy would certainly be the greatest benefit to human kind and planetary survival. Presenting the challenges of addressing climate climate with THEIR "facts" on nuclear energy, Dow and Downing do a disservice to the concerned reader seeking a comprehensive solution. Would these authors support supplanting China's dependence on coal(75% of their total energy pie) with nuclear? Of course not.
I believe, like Lovelock, that the denial of nuclear energy as a player at the table--and the subtle squashing of ANY debate-- will probably lead to the detriment of all life on this planet. That may sound dramatic, but I believe the stakes are truly that high. We should not let authors like Dow and Downing attempt to rationalize away a technology that, apparently, they have little familiarity with.
RATING: 2 1/2 stars. Time for a revision. And a rapid paradigm shift.
Average customer rating:
- Biogeochemistry
- Solid science
- Good Overview of the Subject
- Such a good textbook
- An Overview of a Complex Subject
|
Biogeochemistry : An Analysis of Global Change
William H. Schlesinger
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ecology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General & Reference
| Chemistry
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental Science
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Geochemistry
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Geology
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Geochemistry
| Geology
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Evolution
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Nature & Ecology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Natural History
| Nature & Ecology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Agricultural Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Agricultural Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General & Reference
| Chemistry
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental Science
| Earth Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Geology
| Earth Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Science Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology
-
Ecological Stoichiometry: The Biology of Elements from Molecules to the Biosphere
-
Earth System Science From Biogeochemical Cycles to Global Changes (International Geophysics)
-
Biogeochemistry Of A Forested Ecosystem
-
Environmental Economics
ASIN: 012625155X |
Book Description
For the past 4 billion years, the chemistry of the Earth's surface, where all life exists, has changed remarkably. Historically, these changes have occurred slowly enough to allow life to adapt and evolve. In more recent times, the chemistry of the Earth is being altered at a staggering rate, fueled by industrialization and an ever-growing human population. Human activities, from the rapid consumption of resources to the destruction of the rainforests and the expansion of smog-covered cities, are all leading to rapid changes in the basic chemistry of the Earth.
The Second Edition of
Biogeochemistry considers the effects of life on the Earth's chemistry on a global level. This expansive text employs current technology to help students extrapolate small-scale examples to the global level, and also discusses the instrumentation being used by NASA and its role in studies of global change. With the Earth's changing chemistry as the focus, this text pulls together the many disparate fields that are encompassed by the broad reach of biogeochemistry. With extensive cross-referencing of chapters, figures, and tables, and an interdisciplinary coverage of the topic at hand, this text will provide an excellent framework for courses examining global change and environmental chemistry, and will also be a useful self-study guide.
* Emphasizes the effects of life on the basic chemistry of the atmosphere, the soils, and seawaters of the Earth
* Calculates and compares the effects of industrial emissions, land clearing, agriculture, and rising population on Earths chemistry
* Synthesizes the global cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and sulfur, and suggests the best current budgets for atmospheric gases such as ammonia, nitrous oxide, dimethyl sulfide, and carbonyl sulfide
* Includes an extensive review and up-to-date synthesis of the current literature on the Earths biogeochemistry
Customer Reviews:
Biogeochemistry .......2007-10-06
This book, while slightly dated now, as much science has been done since it was published is still very thorough on the subject.
Solid science.......2007-03-15
I bought this book to prepare for my comprehensive exam. Book consists of two parts: first part describes the generalities of physical/chemical/biological properties of atmosphere, soils, oceans; it also contains the description of the specifics of each cycle (main biogeochemical elements) in all those environment. The second part describes the cycles on the global scale, with up-to-date references to today`s situation on carbon dioxide concentration and prospects on global climate change. Very good material andvery good explanation.
Good Overview of the Subject.......2005-08-24
I actually took Biogeochemistry from Dr. Schlesinger last fall and I do feel that the book is a good survey of alot of geochemical cycles and is presented at an undergraduate level.
However, some of the information, particularly about methane, was severely broken up throughout the text to the point where it was difficult to put together complete chemical cycles of some elements..
Nevertheless, it gives the reader the broad brush strokes necessary to get up to speed, particularly if you do not have a strong science background. For those who are very familiar to the sciences, you can get much more complete information from review papers than is presented here.
Such a good textbook.......2005-07-12
I had to buy this for a Biogeochemical Cycles class. The book is great! It's actual readable, which I was never expecting. It's interesting and understandable. The first reviewer is right that it doesn't get too complex, but references out the more difficult parts. I appreciated not having to read the way-too-hard stuff on my first introduction to this subject.
An Overview of a Complex Subject.......2000-03-25
Biogeochemistry starts with a grand overview, including the formation of the elements, solar system & planets, and then progressively narrows the focus into specifics. As such by the time you get to a chapter on, say, the global carbon cycle, you already have a pretty good idea of where it fits in the big picture. Part I (Processes & Reactions) contains 9 chapters (Introduction, Origin, the Atmosphere, the Lithosphere, Biosphere: Terrstrial Carbon Cycle, Biosphere: Biogeochemical Cycling on Land, Biogeochemistry of Freshwater, Rivers & Estuaries, & the Oceans), which do a balanced job of covering the biological & geological aspects (too many books focus on one or the other). Part II (Global Cycles) has 5 chapters (Water, Carbon, Nitrogen & Phosphorous, Sulfur, & a final chapter on perspectives) that provide more of the details in these specalized catagories. Suitable for the advanced undergaduate or very interested bystandard, there's little detailed math (a weakness for me, but maybe not for you) but the chemistry is well summarized (and the biochemistry made simple & understandable), and the tables & graphs are clean and very useful. Perhaps more importantly for a "textbook", the style is readable - Schlesinger keeps the essentials, but does not bury the reader in them. While it might not provide all you need at a high level, the references scattered throughout as well as the recommended readings make this a great starting point for the subject, and a handy reference book for the subject as a whole.
Books:
- Analysis of Financial Statements
- Aquarium Plants Manual (A Complete Pet Owner's Manual)
- Armenian Tragedy: An Eye-Witness Account of Human Conflict and Natural Disaster in Armenia and Azerbaijan
- Bantams for Everyone (Poultry Fanciers' Library)
- Beyond the Numbers: A Reader on Population, Consumption and the Environment
- Bioenergetics of membranes: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Membrane Bioenergetics held on the Island of Spetsai, Greece, 10-15 July, 1977 ... in bioenergetics and biomembranes)
- Biological and Medical Aspects of Electromagnetic Fields (Handbook of Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields)
- Biological Membranes: STRUCTURE, BIOGENESIS & DYNAMICS (NATO ASI SERIES)
- Biology of Cancer
- Biology, Sixth Edition
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Financial Accounting: Information for Decisions
- Bungalow Style: Creating Classic Interiors in Your Arts and Crafts Home
- Year in Trade 2002: Operations of the Trade Agreements Program
- A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America
- American Cinema/American Culture
- Crashproof Your Kids: Make Your Teen a Safer, Smarter Driver
- Animal Physiology
- On Our Backs Guide to Lesbian Sex
- World of Risk: Next Generation Strategy for a Volatile Era
- Interpersonal Skills: The Professional Development Series
An Inconvenient Truth
The Weather Makers : How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth
The Assault on Reason
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change
