This interdisciplinary book challenges current approaches to "environmental problems" that perpetuate flawed but deeply embedded cultural beliefs about the role of science and technology in society. The authors elucidate and interrogate a cultural history of solutionism that typifies expectations that science can, should, and will reduce risk to people and property by containing and controlling biophysical phenomena. Using historical analysis, eco-evolutionary principles, and case studies on floods, radioactive waste, and epidemics, the authors show that perceived solutions to "environmental problems" generate new problems, leading to problem-solution cycles of increasing scope and complexity. The authors encourage readers to challenge the ideology of solutionism by considering the potential of language, social action and new paradigms of sustainability to shape management systems. This book will appeal to scholars in multi- and interdisciplinary fields such as Environment Studies, Environmental Science, Environmental Policy, and Science, Technology, and Society Studies.

In this fascinating book, Eleanor Tucker sets out a bold vision of how sustainable sharing can save us money, and lead to a happier future. What is the Sharing Economy? How can it help us live more affordable, more sustainable, and ultimately more fulfilling lives?  What would happen if for one year a family pledged to share as much as they possibly can? Instead ofowning more and more stuff, what it’s like to stop owning things and borrow, lend, rent and swap instead? These are big questions, but features writer Eleanor Tucker sets out to answer them in this thoroughly absorbing and entertaining guide to sustainable sharing, or as it is also known, 'collaborative consumption'. In this engrossing study, Eleanor straps us into on her year-long experiment along with her somewhat reluctant family. Over the course of the year, with the aid of various sharing apps, they will pledge to buy as few new things as possible, instead relying on the power of sharing, lending, renting and borrowing to supply their needs. Each chapter introduces a different type of sharing into her day to day life, from the little ‘things' (food, clothes) to the bigger ’things' (cars, furniture, the space around us), and shows how the growth of tech has revolutionized an age-old practice.  The book contains best-for recommendations based around different types of sharing, to create an easily accessible shortcut into sharing. Written with warm and relatable humour as well as a deeply-researched knowledge of the history of sharing, this unmissable guide could truly change the way you consume.  

There has never been a better time to plant a tree! From their invaluable role in fighting climate change and cleaning the air of our cities, to the huge mental health benefits being around their leafy presence can bring, trees are at the very centre of both our urban and rural ecosystems. Written by Ben Raskin, head of horticulture at the Soil Association, and supported by Friends of the Earth UK, this earthy call-to-action teaches the practical how-tos alongside the most interesting insights to appreciate about the significance of magnificent trees. As movements to rewild the world around us gain pace, tree planting is being recognised as an empowering, practical and surprisingly simple action that each and every one of us can do in our backyard, park, local community, school, town or city. Sections in this book include: Trees and the World - This sectioncelebrates just how vital trees are, from how they help regulate the climate and absorb dangerous methane and nitrous oxide, to how they enrich soil, support wildlife and keep our city air clean, as well as the threats they face from climate change. Growing Your Own Tree - Tips on growing saplings from seed, cuttings or grafting, plus guidance on care and maintenance, from weeding and mulching to when to prune and pollard. Forty Best Trees - A guide to the top40 of our favourite trees, appreciated for their fruit and nuts, their ornamental value and the role they play in supporting wildlife, including a neat introduction to how to recognise trees by their leaf shape, flowers, seeds and fruit. Trees and Happiness - Research has revealed that trees are effective at reducing stress levels and improving our mental well-being, and this section digs into exactly how this happens. Whether you're a keen gardener, an avid environmental activist or simply want to learn more about these beautiful and powerful organisms, this must-read book illustrated by popular screen-printerRosanna Morris sends the powerful message that we can plant a tree & retree the world!

Politics and the Environment has established itself as one of the most comprehensive textbooks in this area. This new edition has been completely revised and updated whilst retaining the features and the theory-to-practice focus which made the first two editions so successful.

This text is designed to introduce students to the key concepts and issues which surround environmental problems and their political solutions. The authors investigate the people, movements and organisations that form and implement these policies, and explore the barriers which hinder successful introduction of international environmental politics.

The 3rd edition has been expanded to include:

• The shift in focus in environmental politics from sustainable development to climate change governance
• An extensive discussion on climate change: including institutional, national and global responses in the aftermath of the Kyoto protocol
• An increased international focus with more case studies from the UK, Europe, Australia and North America
• More discussion of global environmental social movements: including the US environmental organisations, in particular the Green Party and the environmental justice groups

This textbook is an invaluable and accessible resource for undergraduates studying environmental politics.

The use of environmentally safe products is an emerging and popular trend throughout various industries. Product manufacturing and sales has changed in order to incorporate green initiatives that will appeal to this fast-growing market. Driving Green Consumerism Through Strategic Sustainability Marketing is an essential reference source for the latest scholarly research on the latest trends of consumerism and its effect and implications on the environment. Featuring coverage on topics and perspectives such as nutricosmetic products, green marketing, and animal products, this publication is ideal for those interested in aspects of green consumerism.

Mercier looks at the environmental movement from an in-depth international perspective and seeks to analyze the spectrum of positions taken. He shows how the movement is an enduring one, and he demonstrates how it is intimately related to the development of media and to fundamental social and institutional trends of our time. Although environmentalists and sociologists have an often bewildering variety of positions and theories, some being incompatible with others, they share commom values. Mercier offers the image of the protoplasm, the viscous matter that surrounds the living cell, as a metaphor to explore these values.

Although environmentalists and ecologists all over the globe share certain basic goals-less consumption, less waste, less energy use-there is a bewildering variety of ideas, concepts, and theories, some incompatible with others, that is associated with the movement. Indeed, one might more accurately think of a series of movements rather than one movement.

Mercier divides the movement into downstream ecologists-sometimes called environmentalists-who are essentially concerned about the quality of the air, the water, and the soil, and the upstream ecologists, who essentially believe that the deterioration of the quality of the air, water, and soil is a symptom of some larger (upstream) phenomenon. The upstream ecologists, in turn, are divided into subgroups, among them the Social Ecologists, who are the inheritors of the traditional positions of the left, and the Deep Ecologists, who attribute the state of the environment to a modern, excessively specialized and segmented outlook that eventually leads to a loss of sensitivity and a disregard for nature and our environment. Using the image of the protoplasm, the viscous matter that contains the living cell, Mercier concludes by relating these and other patterns to a postmodern aesthetic which, itself, is strongly influenced by our changing communication environment. A major analysis that will be of importance to policymakers, scholars, and researchers involved with environmental issues and contemporary social patterns that go beyond the environment per se.

At the heart of the green debate are a set of basic contradictions concerning beliefs and actions. This book reveals the problems associated with these contradictions, including adherence to decentralized political forms while accepting authoritarian intervention on behalf of the environment; a belief that this is the politics of the new age but in practice split between left and right; a rejection of the rationalist scientific project and a reliance on the lessons of the science of ecology.

By the late 1990s Green parties had entered national governments in five Western European countries - Finland, Italy, Germany, France and Belgium.This book analyzes the performance of Green parties in these five governments by answering the following questions: what are the political conditions under which Green parties have gained effective office? How do Green parties behave in government? What is the impact of Green parties on the policy performance of the national government? What is the effect of government participation on the electoral and organizational stability of the Greens?

Direct action has become a key part of the strategy of the radical environmental movement since the early 1990s, used to address issues such as road building and car culture, genetically modified foods, consumerism and global finance institutions. It has helped shape the political climate and has transformed the way people view political action, undermining the assumption that the power of politicians and big businesses cannot be contested. At the same time it is highly controversial, often illegal, and, partly due to its move towards greater militancy, may be included in new Prevention of Terrorism legislation. "Direct Action in British Environmentalism" charts and analyzes the nature and impact of this new wave of direct action. The contributors approach the phenomenon from a wide variety of perspectives and disciplines and present data concerning both the quantity and type of recent environmental protest and the sociological and organisational features of those performing it. Subjects covered include: the history of the movement and its influence on contemporary activism; the identities and new tribalism of "eco-warriors"; the reaction of the mass media; the impact of direct act

"Green Revolution" technologies have transformed the countryside of many less developed countries. This book examines the processes involved in the adoption of these new technologies and their socio-economic impacts. It provides an integrated view of the effects of "Green Revolution" technologies on economic growth and returns, distribution of income and resources, stability of agricultural production and returns and their sustainability in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi experiences are compared with those elsewhere, especially in India. Sources of increased agricultural growth in Bangladesh are identified, patterns and determinants of adoption of high yielding varieties of cereals at both the farm and regional level are identified and the consequences of the new agricultural technology for diets and for the welfare of Bangladeshi consumers are discussed. Implications for rural poverty, income and resource distribution and security of income of the "Green Revolution" in Bangladesh are given attention as is the impact of the "Green Revolution" on fluctuations in cereal yields. Long term sustainability problems are raised - high yielding varieties of crops are driving out traditional variet

Environmental movements are at a crossroads. Increasingly institutionalized almost everywhere in the industrially developed societies, established environmental organizations are confronted by new radical groups and uninstitutionalized local protesters. Despite growing evidence of the universality of environmental problems and of economic and cultural globalization, the development of a truly global environmental movement is at best tentative. The dilemmas which confront environmental organizations are no less apparent at the global than at national levels. This volume is a collection of 1990s research on environmental movements in western and southern Europe, the US and the global arena.

Environmental movements are at a crossroads. Increasingly institutionalized almost everywhere in the industrially developed societies, established environmental organizations are confronted by new radical groups and uninstitutionalized local protesters. Despite growing evidence of the universality of environmental problems and of economic and cultural globalization, the development of a truly global environmental movement is at best tentative. The dilemmas which confront environmental organizations are no less apparent at the global than at national levels. This volume is a collection of 1990s research on environmental movements in western and southern Europe, the US and the global arena.

Business ecology is a new field that synthesizes centuries of cultural wisdom, a close observation of natural systems, and proven business success strategies, such as strategic planning and total quality management. It emulates nature's systems design to provide a harmonious, relationship-oriented approach that reveals how your organization really works. This book applies these principles to help you integrate profitability, stakeholder relations, and environmental performance ] giving your organization the natural edge in emerging ecological economy.
Business ecology measures not just financial but overall viability by revealing vital flows and relationships that sustain your business. It is a lens for seeing those intangible elements of your organization's design -- such as core values, value-creation cycles, and innovative thinking ] that are essential factors shaping its success.
The Business Ecology Network (BEN), founded in 1995, is a catalyst for life-sustaining enterprise. BEN is a learning community for leaders and managers who want to apply a new way of thinking ] business ecology ] to create new, sustainable opportunities for their businesses and non profit organizations. Visit the BEN web page at http: //naturaledge.org.
- Applies nature's organizing elegance to everyday business situations
- Offers the reader profit AND environmental integrity
- Unique and valuable blend of traditional business concepts with cutting-edge field of ecology

Disputes over hazardous waste sites usually are resolved by giving greater weight to expert opinion over public "not-in-my-back-yard" reactions. Challenging the assumption that policy experts are better able to discern the general welfare, Gregory E. McAvoy here proposes that citizen opinion and democratic dissent occupy a vital, constructive place in environmental policymaking.

McAvoy explores the issues of citizen rationality, the tension between democracy and technocracy, and the link between public opinion and policy in the case of an unsuccessful attempt to site a hazardous waste facility in Minnesota. He shows how the site was defeated by citizens who had reasonable doubts over the need for the facility.

Offering a comprehensive look at the policymaking process, McAvoy examines the motivations of public officials, the resources they have for shaping opinion, the influence of interest groups, and the evolution of waste reduction programs in Minnesota and other states. Integrating archival material, interviews, and quantitative survey data, he argues that NIMBY movements can bring miscalculations to light and provide an essential check on policy experts' often partisan views.

This book will be of value to those who work or study in the fields of hazardous waste policy, facility siting, environmental policy, public policy, public administration, and political science.

This incisive book addresses the challenges facing the current institutional framework for governance of high seas fisheries. Marcus Haward identifies significant issues and difficulties affecting the management of fisheries in areas beyond national jurisdiction, as well as highlighting the key role that fishing and fisheries play in global ocean governance. Through an assessment of the development of regional fisheries organizations and their implementation of management tools, Haward demonstrates their importance in contemporary ocean governance, offering a critical examination of the challenges they face in the pursuit of sustainable fisheries management. The book investigates the ability of regional fisheries bodies to constrain catches and capacity, and explores the factors impacting this, for example, states' lack of cooperation and failure to commit to effective enforcement, and conflicting interests in resource utilization and conservation. Governing Oceans in a Time of Change will prove a critical read for scholars and students of environmental policy, management and governance, particularly those with an interest in ocean governance and fisheries. Policymakers and practitioners working in this area will also find this book beneficial.

REVISED AND UPDATED WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION 'Brave and unflinching in setting out the reality of the hell towards which we're headed, but even more urgent, passionate and compelling about the grounds for hope if we change course fast enough, Hope in Hell is a powerful call to arms from one of Britain's most eloquent and trusted campaigners.' -- Caroline Lucas, MP 'Is there time? Just. Is there hope? Plenty. Hope in Hell is brave, urgent and wise - in fact, one of the most important books any of us may read.' -- John Vidal Climate change is the defining issue of our time. We know, beyond reasonable doubt, what the science now tells us. Just as climate change is accelerating, so too must we - summoning up a greater sense of urgency, courage and shared endeavour than humankind has ever seen before. And we don't get to defer this endeavour even as we struggle to bring the continuing pandemic under control. Indeed, it's crucial that we use this moment to promote economic recovery in a way that simultaneously addresses the Climate Emergency. Fortunately, more and more people around the world now realise this is going to be a massive challenge for the rest of their lives. In Hope in Hell, Porritt confronts that dilemma head on. He believes we still have time to do what needs to be done, but only if we move now - and move together. In this ultimately upbeat book, he explores all these reasons to be hopeful: new technology; the power of innovation; the mobilisation of young people - and a sense of intergenerational solidarity as older generations come to understand their own obligation to secure a safer world for their children and grandchildren.

Militarism is the elephant in the room of global warming. Of all government sectors, 'Defence' has the highest carbon footprint and expenditure, yet has largely been exempt from international scrutiny and regulation. Marty Branagan uses Australian and international case studies to show that nonviolence is a viable alternative to militarism for national defence and regime change. 'Active resistance', initiated in Australian environmental blockades and now adopted globally, makes the song 'We Shall Not Be Moved' much more realistic, as activists erect tripod villages, bury, chain and cement themselves into the ground, and 'lock-on' to machinery and gates. Active resistance, 'artistic activism', and use of new information and communication technologies in movements such as the Arab Spring and 'Occupy' demonstrate that nonviolence is an effective, evolving praxis.

In over 40 years as a senior captain for Greenpeace International, Peter Willcox has been in the vanguard of the international environmentalist movement. He has led crews into battle for the good of the planet against whale killers, nuclear testing sites and deep sea drillers. The recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Guardian, Peter has confronted naval warships, including diving in front of a moving destroyer; faced a bombing attack of the iconic 'Rainbow Warrior', resulting in the murder of a shipmate; and endured imprisonment for peacefully protesting Russian oil drilling in Antarctica along with his crew. This is his story.

This volume focuses on the theory and practice of the regenerative development paradigm that is rapidly displacing sustainability as the most fertile ground for climate change adaptation research.

This book brings together key thinkers in this field to develop a meaningful synthesis between the existing practice of regenerative development and the input of scholars in the social sciences. It begins by providing an expert introduction to the history, principles, and practices of regenerative development before going on to present a thorough theoretical examination by known theorists from disciplines including sociology, geography, and ethics. A section on regenerative development practices illustrates the need to significantly advance our understanding of how urbanization, climate change, and inequality interact at every scale of development work. Finally, the book ends with a serious consideration of the ways in which integrated systems thinking in higher education could result in a curriculum for the next generation of regenerative development professionals.

Regenerative Urban Development, Climate Change and the Common Good will be of great interest to students, scholars, and practitioners of regenerative development, climate change, urban planning, and public policy.

Based on nine years of research, this is the first book to offer an in-depth ethnographic study of a transnational environmentalist federation and of activists themselves. The book presents an account of the daily life and the ethical strivings of environmental activist members of Friends of the Earth International (FoEI), exploring how a transnational federation is constituted and maintained, and how different people strive to work together in their hope of contributing to the creation of "a better future for the globe." In the context of FoEI, a great diversity of environmentalisms from around the world are negotiated, discussed and evolve in relation to the experiences of the different cultures, ecosystems and human situations that the activists bring with them to the federation. Key to the global scope of this project is the analysis of FoEI experiments in models for intercultural and inclusive decision-making. The provisional results of FoEI's ongoing experiments in this area offer a glimpse of how different notions of the environment, and being an environmentalist, can come to work together without subsuming alterity.

From Josh Tickell, one of America's most celebrated documentary filmmakers, comes a "fascinating, easy-to-follow blueprint for how eating in ways that nourish and regenerate the soil can not only help reverse global warming, but also bring greater vitality to our lives" (Wolfgang Puck). "A must read for anyone committed to healing our bodies and our Earth" (Deepak Chopra), Kiss the Ground explains an incredible truth: by changing our diets to a soil-nourishing, regenerative agriculture diet, we can reverse global warming, harvest healthy, abundant food, and eliminate the poisonous substances that are harming our children, pets, bodies, and ultimately our planet. This "richly visual" (Kirkus Reviews) look at the impact of an underappreciated but essential resource-the very ground that feeds us-features fascinating and accessible interviews with celebrity chefs, ranchers, farmers, and top scientists. Kiss the Ground teaches you how to become an agent in humanity's single most important and time-sensitive mission: reverse climate change and effectively save the world-all through the choices you make in how and what to eat. Also a full-length documentary executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and narrated by Woody Harrelson, "Kiss the Ground both informs and inspires" (Marianne Williamson, #1 New York Times bestselling author).

Daniel Press brings his considerable experience to light in this excellent book, and it should be a required read for every scholar and student of environmental studies and science. He convincingly leverages an evidence based approach by digging into the data on toxic release, acid rain, non-point source water pollution, and industrial recycling to challenge the conventional wisdom that environmental regulation in the United States has been settled and is successful. Issuing a clarion call to those who care about environmental values, he urges us to redirect our action and discourse and to rethink how we can be more effective, with his specific recommendations for policy and regulatory reform.' - Toddi A. Steelman, University of Saskatchewan, Canada'Those of us who work on environmental policy should never let the grind of our day-to-day challenges turn us away from the ultimate question of whether we are leaving a better environment to the next generation. Daniel Press looks at the current state of environmental regulation and probes just this question. It s worth a read for anyone who cares about the decisions we must make - and the processes we now use to get to those decisions - that will shape the world for years to come.' - John Laird, California Secretary for Natural Resources 'In American Environmental Policy Daniel Press guides the reader through not only the motivations and concepts that have been employed to set land, water, and air pollution policies, but also a dive into the details of both the environmental science and the legal and regulatory science that determines the success or failure of these actions. This book is instrumental for all those interested in both the why and the how - and the how much - of the legacy of Rachel Carson and the past five decades of environmental management.' - Daniel Kammen, University of California, Berkeley, US 'Daniel Press's new book is an excellent one. By focusing on implementation - what happens after policy has been adopted - Press demonstrates the weaknesses of pollution control policy in the United States. Case studies of acid rain, nonpoint source water pollution, and paper recycling illuminate 'regulatory failure,' the structural problems of American regulatory approaches. He concludes with recommendations to move us ahead, a path forward that focuses on performance, information, incentives, and source reduction. Strongly recommended.' - Christopher McGrory Klyza, Middlebury College, US More than 40 years after the United States launched bold efforts to curb pollution and waste, American environmental management has stalled. Drawing extensively on recent environmental science, engineering, regulatory agency data and trade information, American Environmental Policy explores how environmental management in the US has fallen short of its early promise and reputation. Arguing that policies need to be redesigned for the 21st century, this book offers examples and principles of effective environmental policy reforms. It concludes with suggestions for how new policies should be designed, as well as examples of successful regulatory innovations already in practice around the world. Environmental policy scholars, students and science and environment journalists interested in evaluating environmental policy over time will find this to book of value. The approaches discussed in this book will also be useful for environmental and natural resource agency officials.

Aiming to develop a critical approach to global environmental politics, this work does not advocate the construction of new international institutions, but argues that the construction of alternative social and political structures is necessary. After an examination of policy-making surrounding sea defences, which challenges the notion that political institutions are neutral regarding environmental change, it examines the political dynamics of car culture, and of the meat centred fast food industry.

Whether you have a lifelong love of nature or you cannot identify whether something is an elder or an alder, a daisy or a dandelion, or a heron or a herring gull, The Wonders of the Wild Places is the book for you. From the mountains to the sea, woodland to farmland, heaths and riversides we have many habitats in the United Kingdom, and The Wonders of the Wild Places provides information about some of the many species which inhabit these habitats. It is packed with interesting facts about nature designed to encourage you to go out and about and enjoy the wonders of the wild places. If you have ever wondered how birds migrate or which invertebrate has the largest brain, The Wonders of the Wild Places provides the answers - and many more. It covers many subjects from folklore to language, social history to the latest science. The Wonders of the Wild Places also explains the current threats to the natural world and provides details of what is being done to protect nature and also has suggestions of how individuals can help nature, from cleaning up your nearest beach to building a bug hotel. After reading The Wonders of the Wild Places you will never see the natural world in the same way again.