The book focuses on low carbon construction materials such as stabilised compressed earth blocks (CEB's) and rammed earth (RE). The content has been divided into four broad themes which includes an introduction to earth construction & stabilised earth, stabilised compressed earth blocks and masonry, stabilised rammed earth, and energy, carbon emissions, sustainability and case studies. It provides basic introduction to earthen materials and earthen structures, particularly with reference to the contemporary work on stabilised earth products for structural applications in buildings. The illustrations in the form of graphs, tables and photographs help the reader to get a grip over the CEB and RE construction. The book illustrates many case studies and examples of CEB and RE buildings. The knowledge on structural characteristics of CEB and RE especially with reference to the durability of such earthen products, and the structural design aspects is uniquely dealt. The embodied energy, embodied carbon, and the impact on construction sector touching upon sustainability of buildings is another unique feature of the book. This volume will be a useful guide for the research community, teachers, engineers, architects, building professionals, practicing engineers, students and individuals aspiring to build low carbon and sustainable buildings.

This book offers essential information on geospatial technologies for water resource management and highlights the latest GIS and geostatistics techniques as they relate to groundwater. Groundwater is inarguably India's single most important natural resource. It is the foundation of millions of Indian farmers' livelihood security and the primary source of drinking water for a vast majority of Indians in rural and urban areas. The prospects of continued high rates of growth in the Indian economy will, to a great extent, depend on how judiciously we can manage groundwater in the years to come. Over the past three decades, India has emerged as by far the single largest consumer of groundwater in the world. Though groundwater has made the country self-sufficient in terms of food, we face a crisis of dwindling water tables and declining water quality. Deep drilling by tube wells, which was once part of the solution to water shortages, is now in danger of becoming part of the problem. Consequently, we urgently need to focus our efforts on the sustainable and equitable management of groundwater. Addressing that need, this book presents novel advances in and applications of RS–GIS and geostatistical techniques to the research community in a precise and straightforward manner.

This book provides a plethora of information about global arsenic (As) contamination and the challenges for environment. Arsenic is a naturally occurring metalloid that is widely distributed in water, soil, air and biota from natural and anthropogenic sources. Arsenic has been found in drinking water in over 100 countries worldwide, which caused a major public health issue including: cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, and cancers of various organs - these are some of the general health effects of As exposure. Exposure of plants to As, even at very low concentrations, can cause many morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes. The recent research on As in the water-soil-plant-human systems indicates that As toxicity to plants varies with As speciation in plants, type of plant species and with other soil factors controlling As accumulation in plants. In recent years, the development of efficient green chemistry methods for detoxification of trace metal poisoning has become a major focus of researchers. It has been investigated in order to find an eco-friendly and recyclable technique for the removal of As contamination from the natural resources. Understanding the significance of As hazard and roles of sustainable or eco-friendly approaches in its mitigation, we intend to bring forth a comprehensive volume "Global Arsenic Hazard - Ecotoxicology and Remediation" highlighting the various prospects involved in current scenario. We are hopeful that this comprehensive volume will furnish the requisite of all those who are working or have interest in the proposed topic.

This book contains selected articles from the Second International Conference on Geotechnical Engineering-Iraq (ICGE-Iraq) held in Akre/Duhok/Iraq from June 22 to 23, 2021, to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and problems of geotechnical engineering in projects. Also, the conference includes modern applications in structural engineering, materials of construction, construction management, planning and design of structures, and remote sensing and surveying engineering. The ICGE-Iraq organized by the Iraqi Scientific Society of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering (ISSSMFE) in cooperation with Akre Technical Institute / Duhok Polytechnic University, College of Engineering /University of Baghdad, and Civil Engineering Department/University of Technology. The book covers a wide spectrum of themes in civil engineering, including but not limited to sustainability and environmental-friendly applications. The contributing authors are academic and researchers in their respective fields from several countries. This book will provide a valuable resource for practicing engineers and researchers in the field of geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, and construction and management of projects.

Society cannot increase beyond its ability to acquire natural resources or to dispose safely of pollutants. One need not be an ecologist or environmental scientist to understand the dangers implicit in an uncontrolled degradation of the environment. Calculating how many people each individual nation should have and determining the means by which politically various populations will be controlled calls for difficult decisions. This book provides a concrete, easily understood, and realistic analysis of the scientific and legal dimensions of environmental stability. Miguel A. Santos outlines the current international ecological crises and defines them as the most serious threat to international world order and ecological stability.

The book is divided into five sections beginning with an examination of the ecological characteristics of human population and a discussion of population policies in developing and developed nations. This section is followed by the construction of an analytic framework for the interaction of society with the environment. Further chapters provide an overview of natural resources and pollution and the criteria for determining the earth's carrying capacity for humans. The final section considers the problems and prospects of international law and environmental protection. Although written for ecologists, environmental scientists, demographers, political scientists, economists, and lawyers, this book is not limited to them. Anyone interested in the relationship between the environment and society will find this book instructive and provocative.

Crop plants growing under field conditions are constantly exposed to various abiotic and biotic stress factors leading to decreased yield and quality of produce. In order to achieve sustainable development in agriculture and to increase agricultural production for feeding an increasing global population, it is necessary to use ecologically compatible and environmentally friendly strategies to decrease the adverse effects of stresses on the plant. Selenium is one of the critical elements from the biological contexts because it is essential for human health; however, it becomes toxic at high concentrations. It has been widely reported that selenium can promote plant growth and alleviate various stresses as well as increase the quantity and quality of the yield of many plant species. Nonetheless, at high concentrations, selenium causes phytotoxicity. In the last decade, nanotechnology has emerged as a prominent tool for enhancing agricultural productivity. The production and applications of nanoparticles (NPs) have greatly increased in many industries, such as energy production, healthcare, agriculture, and environmental protection. The application of NPs has attracted interest for their potential to alleviate abiotic and biotic stresses in a more rapid, cost-effective, and more sustainable way than conventional treatment technologies. Recently, research related to selenium-NPs-mediated abiotic stresses and nutritional improvements in plants has received considerable interest by the scientific community. While significant progress was made in selenium biochemistry in relation to stress tolerance, an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with the selenium- and nano-selenium-mediated stress tolerance and bio-fortification in plants is still lacking. Gaining a better knowledge of the regulatory and molecular mechanisms that control selenium uptake, assimilation, and tolerance in plants is therefore vital and necessary to develop modern crop varieties that are more resilient to environmental stress. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the latest understanding of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular basis of selenium- and nano-selenium-mediated environmental stress tolerance and crop quality improvements in plants. It helps researchers to develop strategies to enhance crop productivity under stressful conditions and to better utilize natural resources to ensure future food security and to reduce environmental contamination. Finally, this book is a valuable resource for promoting future research into plant stress tolerance, and a reference book for researchers working on developing plants tolerant to abiotic and biotic stressors as well as bio-fortification and phytoremediation.

In 1857 Henry David Thoreau moved to a small cabin in the woods near Walden Pond where he lived as a recluse from society for just over two years. In his time of self-prescribed isolation, Thoreau recorded his daily routine and reflections in an effort to get away from the noise brought about by a mainstream society. His work became one of the most influential American literary works of all time. Thoreau's daily journal entries became the foundation for one of the most well-known works of Transcendental philosophy to this day. Published as one title, Walden is a quasi-memoir and naturalist manifesto that has withstood the test of time. The work continues to inspire generations to switch it up, unplug, and revert to the higher calling of nature.

In the context of growing concern over climate change and other environmental pressures, Biblical Prophets and Contemporary Environmental Ethics explores what an ecological reading of the biblical text can contribute to contemporary environmental ethics. The Judaeo-Christian tradition has been held partly to blame for a negative attitude to creation - one that has legitimised the exploitative use of the earth's resources. Hilary Marlow explores some of the thinking in the history of the Christian tradition that has contributed to such a perception, before discussing a number of approaches to reading the Old Testament from an ecological perspective. Through a detailed exegetical study of the texts of the biblical prophets Amos, Hosea, and First Isaiah, Marlow examines the portrayal of the relationship between YHWH the God of Israel, humanity and the non-human creation. In the course of this exegesis, searching questions emerge: what are the various understandings of the non-human creation that are present in the text? What assumptions are made about YHWH's relationship to the created world and how he acts within it? And what effect do the actions and choices of human beings have on the created world? Following this close textual study, Marlow examines the problem of deriving ethical norms from the biblical text and discusses some key ethical debates in contemporary environmental theory. The book explores the potential contribution of the biblical exegesis to such debates and concludes by proposing an inter-relational model for reading the Old Testament prophets in the light of contemporary environmental ethics.

This open access book studies the migration aspirations and trajectories of people living in two regions in Morocco that are highly affected by environmental change or emigration, namely Tangier and Tinghir, as well as the migration trajectories of immigrants coming from these regions currently living in Belgium. This book departs from the development of a new theoretical framework on the relationship between environmental changes and migration that can be applied to the Moroccan case. Qualitative research conducted in both countries demonstrate how the interplay between migration and environmental factors is not as straightforward as it seems, due to its wider social, political, economic, demographic and environmental context. Findings show how existing cultures of migration, remittances, views on nature and discourses on climate change create distinct abilities, capacities and aspirations to migrate due to environmental changes. The results illustrate how migration and environmental factors evolve gradually and mutually influence each other. In doing so, this book offers new insights in the ways migration can be seen as an adaptation strategy to deal with environmental change in Morocco.

This book provides a didactic overview of techniques for inferring information from soil spectroscopic data, and the codes in the R programming language for performing such analyses. It is intended for students, researchers and practitioners looking to infer soil information from spectroscopic data, focusing mainly on, but not restricted to, the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Little prior knowledge of the R programming language or digital soil spectra is required. We work through the steps to process spectroscopic data systematically.

This book provides reflection on the increasingly blurry boundaries that characterize the human-animal relationship. In the Anthropocene humans and animals have come closer together and this asks for rethinking old divisions. Firstly, new scientific insights and technological advances lead to a blurring of the boundaries between animals and humans. Secondly, our increasing influence on nature leads to a rethinking of the old distinction between individual animal ethics and collectivist environmental ethics. Thirdly, ongoing urbanization and destruction of animal habitats leads to a blurring between the categories of wild and domesticated animals. Finally, globalization and global climate change have led to the fragmentation of natural habitats, blurring the old distinction between in situ and ex situ conservation. In this book, researchers at the cutting edge of their fields systematically examine the broad field of human-animal relations, dealing with wild, liminal, and domestic animals, with conservation, and zoos, and with technologies such as biomimicry. This book is timely in that it explores the new directions in which our thinking about the human-animal relationship are developing. While the target audience primarily consists of animal studies scholars, coming from a wide range of disciplines including philosophy, sociology, psychology, ethology, literature, and film studies, many of the topics that are discussed have relevance beyond a purely theoretical one; as such the book also aims to inspire for example biologists, conservationists, and zoo keepers to reflect on their relationship with animals.

Mexico underwent tremendous growth and transition during the twentieth century, transforming it from a rural country into an urban nation that formed part of a much wider global process of modernisation/westernisation. During this time, Mexican Modernist architecture came into its own, becoming recognised both nationally and internationally as a paradigmatic example of this new design approach. However, relatively little is still known about how Mexican Modernism was able to become a mature and confident movement so quickly, one with such strongly held convictions that they are still very much alive and well today, and which are still shaping and influencing Mexicos architectural forms, lifestyles, values and ideals. This book examines those elements that contributed to its making during the twentieth century. In so doing, it considers Mexican Modernism to be a direct product of its socio-cultural settings and so uses a cultural studies approach to identify the key drivers, or 'power structures', which were involved. Five power structures are investigated which relate to academic, economic/political, social, gender, and post-colonial status. Such power structures are analysed by looking in close detail at 13 of the most famous Mexican architects, documenting their ideas through their own verbal testimonies and their most interesting buildings. Those architects include: Jose Villagran Garcia, Luis Barragan and Juan O'Gorman from the first generation; Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, Agustin Hernandez and Abraham Zabludovsky from the second; Carlos Mijares, Ricardo Legorreta and Juan Jose Diaz Infante from the third; and finally, Enrique Norten, Clara de Buen, Alberto Kalach and Javier Sordo Madaleno from the fourth generation. This book's uniqueness lies in revealing the inter-relationships of the power structures that have controlled and constrained what Mexican architecture could achieve, offering a dissection of what happened within the profession. The book also criticizes the persistence of these same power structures today, and it voices the urgent need for a new kind of architecture for the future. It is essential reading for anyone studying Mexican architecture.

This volume discusses how plant and algae organisms play a pivotal role in the transformation of solar energy to essential metabolites, and explores the numerous beneficial roles these metabolites have at an industrial level. It presents information on the utilization of plant and algae for biomass production, and shows how this is a practical option for large scale biofuel production. The book examines how these bio-metabolites can then be used to extract biofuel. Biomass produced from plants and algae can act as the source of feedstock for biofuel production and industrially important compounds. This book also explores that by curtailing culturing cost using wastewater, seawater, and industrial water as a nutrient and water source, biomass becomes an economical energy source. The introductory chapters of the book focus on the appreciative values of a pollution-free atmosphere, with special reference to enhanced greenhouse effect, and then are followed by chapters on the potential of plant and algae as a liquid energy resource. This book targets researchers, graduate students, and energy and fuel industry professionals interested in the plant sciences, biotechnology and renewable energy.

The presentation and representation of the environment can be found in every academic discipline and is a subject of increasing attention by the media. Scientists use implicit strict codes that need to be clearly understood by users of their findings. Their approach often clashes with alternative environmental information available from other sources that dwell on subjective aesthetic & emotional sensitivities. Historical & literary accounts emphasize subjective responses to the environment, frequently eschewing measurable & measured facts provided by scientific investigation. It is vital to understand how these sources are filtered by users and applied selectively for various purposes in taking practical decisions about environmental action, in a political context and for education purposes. This volume exemplifies these important matters and demonstrate their significance in the fields of environmental action, in political contexts and for environmental education

This book introduces architectural applications of parametric methods in design, drawing direct connections between each phase of the architectural design process with relevant parametric approaches. Readers will find applications of parametric methods with straightforward explanations of concepts, commands as well as applicable examples for each phase of the architectural design process. In addition to learning about the historical and conceptual background of parametric design, readers can use this book as a go-to source during their day-to-day design practice. Chapters are organized according to different phases of the architectural design process, such as site analysis, spatial organization, skin systems, and environmental performance analyses. Together, they deliver concepts, applications, and examples utilizing in-depth visual guides that explain commands, their outcomes, and their interrelationships. With over 350 images, this book includes examples from the author's own design studio and parametric design teaching in elective classes. Based on the Rhinoceros and Grasshopper platforms, this book is an accessible, yet in-depth, resource for architecture students and early professionals who are considering integrating parametric applications into their design processes.

This book describes new energy saving methods and technologies for heat power engineering. The book is devoted to topical issues of energy and related industries. Leading Ukrainian scientists from both scientific institutes and educational universities took part in its creation. The research results are presented in 6 parts: electrical engineering, heat power engineering, nuclear power engineering, fossil fuels, cybersecurity and computer science, environmental safety. Results of regulating of operating modes and applicability of model checking technique in power systems are showed. Separate block of questions regarding the functioning of nuclear power plants, their waste and preventive measures of protection against negative effects on living organisms (including, for example, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant) is considered. The results of the peculiarities of the extraction, purification and use of fossil fuels are presented. In some chapters, presented the results on improving the cybersecurity of energy systems and its resilience to various threats, including the use of 5G technology. Traditionally for this series, issues of ecological safety, the impact of different energy systems on the environment and its protection are considered. A book is for researchers, engineers, as well as lecturers and postgraduates of higher education institutions dealing with energy sector, power systems, ecological safety, etc.

This book brings together an international group of authors to discuss the outdoor environmental education (OEE) theory and practice that educators can use to support teaching and learning in higher education. The book contents are organised around a recently established list of threshold concepts that can be used to describe the knowledge and skills that university students would develop if they complete a major in outdoor education. There are six key sections: the theoretical foundations and philosophies of OEE; the pedagogical approaches and issues involved in teaching OEE; the ways in which OEE is a social, cultural and environmental endeavour; how outdoor educators can advocate for social justice; key approaches to safety management; and the need for on-going professional practice. The threshold concepts that form the premise of the book describe outdoor educators as creating opportunities for experiential learning using pedagogies that align their programme's purpose and practice. Outdoor educators are place-responsive, and see their work as a social, cultural and environmental endeavour. They advocate for social and environmental justice, and they understand and apply safety principles and routinely engage in reflective practice. This book will provide clarity and direction for emerging and established outdoor educators around the world and will also be relevant to students and professionals working in related fields such as environmental education, adventure therapy, and outdoor recreation.

Provides an index of ideas, theories, projects, and definitions that string into a methodology for evaluating the contemporary language of architecture. Beautifully designed with text and image spreads, it includes over 160 full colour illustrations. Includes interviews and contributions from Toyo Ito, Anthony Vidler, Ben van Berkel, Sou Fujimoto, Christian Kerez and Greg Lynn.

Under what conditions could ecology, instead of being one cluster of movements among others, organise politics around an agenda and a set of beliefs? Can ecology aspire to define the political horizon in the way that liberalism, socialism, conservatism and other political ideologies have done at various times and places? What can ecology learn from history about how new political movements emerge, and how they win the struggle for ideas long before they translate their ideas into parties and elections? In this short text, consisting of seventy-six talking points, Bruno Latour and Nikolaj Schultz argue that if the ecological movement is to gain ideological consistency and autonomy it must offer a political narrative that recognises, embraces and effectively represents its project in terms of social conflict. Political ecology must accept that it brings along division. It must provide a convincing cartography of the conflicts it generates and, based on this, it must try to define a common horizon of collective action. In order to represent and describe these conflicts, Latour and Schultz propose to reuse the old notions of 'class' and 'class struggle', albeit infused with a new meaning in line with the ecological concerns of our New Climate Regime. Advancing the idea of a new ecological class, assembled by its collective interests in fighting the logic of production and safeguarding our planet's conditions of habitability, they ask: how can a proud and self-aware ecological class emerge and take effective action to shape our collective future?

This book comprises the proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering 2021. The contents of this volume focus on specialty conferences in construction, environmental, hydrotechnical, materials, structures, transportation engineering, etc. This volume will prove a valuable resource for those in academia and industry.

The spellbinding new book by the prizewinning writer Kapka Kassabova tells the story of her time with the last moving pastoralists in Europe: a gripping portrayal of human-animal interdependence, and a plea for a different way of living.

Living with one of these communities over the course of one summer, Kassabova experiences the intensity, brutality, beauty and isolation of their existence. She witnesses the epic, orchestrated activity of transhumance – the seasonal movement of vast herds of sheep, along with shepherds and dogs. As she becomes attuned to the sacrifices inherent in this work and the rich histories that shaped this Balkan region, Kassabova finds herself drawn deeper into the tangled relationships at the heart of the small community.

Anima is an extraordinary portrayal of pastoral life, where humans and animals exist in profound interdependence. Kassabova conjures the spirit of this remarkable place with intimacy and empathy, and helps us imagine how we might all begin to heal our broken relationship with the natural world.

This book comprises the proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering 2021. The contents of this volume focus on specialty conferences in construction, environmental, hydrotechnical, materials, structures, transportation engineering, etc. This volume will prove a valuable resource for those in academia and industry.