Nowhere on Earth is the challenge for ecological understanding greater, and yet more urgent, than in those parts of the globe where human activity is most intense - cities. People need to understand how cities work as ecological systems so they can take control of the vital links between human actions and environmental quality, and work for an ecologically and economically sustainable future. An ecosystem approach integrates biological, physical and social factors and embraces historical and geographical dimensions, providing our best hope for coping with the complexity of cities. This book is the first of its kind to bring together leaders in the biological, physical and social dimensions of urban ecosystem research with leading education researchers, administrators and practitioners, to show how an understanding of urban ecosystems is vital for urban dwellers to grasp the fundamentals of ecological and environmental science, and to understand their own environment.

Climate change skeptics and business pundits alike are convinced that any public policy instruments used to curtail environmental degradation are antithetical to the interests of the corporate community. However, many companies have actually come out in favour of carbon pricing. In Business in a Changing Climate, Kaija Belfry Munroe examines this counterintuitive action and, in doing so, explains how large firms determine their preferences for public policy options. Her analysis of thirteen industrial associations and seventeen firms from industries such as petrochemical, forestry, mining, and steel, reveals that, despite the higher costs, these industries prefer carbon pricing over voluntary agreements. Based on enlightening interviews with executives, government, and NGO officials, Belfry Munroe argues that the acceptance of climate change policy by companies is determined by the risks posed to capital investments and investor concern. Business in a Changing Climate is the first book to ask major pollution emitting industries in Canada what their preferences are with respect to climate change.

This book offers a fresh and innovative account of the history of environmentalism in the United States, challenging the dominant narrative in the field. In the widely-held version of events, the US environmental movement was born with the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring in 1962 and was driven by the increased leisure and wealth of an educated middle class. Chad Montrie's telling moves the origins of environmentalism much further back in time and attributes the growth of environmental awareness to working people and their families. From the antebellum era to the end of the twentieth century, ordinary Americans have been at the forefront of organizing to save themselves and their communities from environmental harm. This interpretation is nothing short of a substantial recasting of the past, giving a more accurate picture of what happened, when, and why at the beginnings of the environmental movement. >

John Cage was among the first wave of post-war American artists and intellectuals to be influenced by Zen Buddhism and it was an influence that led him to become profoundly engaged with our current ecological crisis. In John Cage and Buddhist Ecopoetics, Peter Jaeger asks: what did Buddhism mean to Cage? And how did his understanding of Buddhist philosophy impact on his representation of nature? Following Cage's own creative innovations in the poem-essay form and his use of the ancient Chinese text, the I Ching to shape his music and writing, this book outlines a new critical language that reconfigures writing and silence. Interrogating Cage's 'green-Zen' in the light of contemporary psychoanalysis and cultural critique as well as his own later turn towards anarchist politics, John Cage and Buddhist Ecopoetics provides readers with a critically performative site for the Zen-inspired "nothing" which resides at the heart of Cage's poetics, and which so clearly intersects with his ecological writing.

Challenges On the Path Toward Sustainability in Europe provides readers with guidance on sustainable actions at firm, consumer and institutional level. It studies the wide ranging challenges of implementing the sustainable development goals in Europe, while also addressing the challenges for key stakeholders in the economy. Vesna Zabkar and Tjasa Redek offer a theoretical and empirical approach to addressing sustainable development, providing rich data analysis at cross-country level, as well as practical examples from the European context. Its scientific outlook is based on extensive theoretical and empirical data analysis, however refraining from an extensively technical approach. Challenges On the Path Toward Sustainability in Europe is of direct relevance to both academics and practitioners seeking to expand their practical knowledge the subject as well as a richer theoretical background for analysing this field at the intersection of environmental and resource economics.

Prior to the Nixon administration, environmental policy in the United States was rudimentary at best. Since then, it has evolved into one of the primary concerns of governmental policy from the federal to the local level. As scientific expertise on the environment rapidly developed, Americans became more aware of the growing environmental crisis that surrounded them. Practical solutions for mitigating various aspects of the crisis - air pollution, water pollution, chemical waste dumping, strip mining, and later global warming - became politically popular, and the government responded by gradually erecting a vast regulatory apparatus to address the issue. Today, politicians regard environmental policy as one of the most pressing issues they face. The Obama administration has identified the renewable energy sector as a key driver of economic growth, and Congress is in the process of passing a bill to reduce global warming that will be one of the most important environmental policy acts in decades.
The Oxford Handbook of U.S. Environmental Policy will be a state-of-the-art work on all aspects of environmental policy in America. Over the past half century, America has been the world's leading emitter of global warming gases. However, environmental policy is not simply a national issue. It is a global issue, and the explosive growth of Asian countries like China and India mean that policy will have to be coordinated at the international level. The book will therefore focus not only on the U.S., but on the increasing importance of global policies and issues on American regulatory efforts. This is a topic that will only grow in importance in the coming years, and this will serve as an authoritative guide to any scholar interested in the issue.

Wm Ryle is the pen name of William L. Ryle, Jr. He and his wife Rose Joyce Quinn Ryle were married in 1967 and have now four grandchildren by their sons, Peyton and his wife Tammy, and by Chris and his wife Andrea. They have no daughters, and love these two given in marriage as their own. Born in Columbus, Georgia on January 18th, 1944, the author moved to Hazlehurst, Georgia in 1959. He graduated from high school in 1962. William Sr. retired from the Army in 1959, and began tending the family farm of some 247 acres in Hazlehurst. The farm was purchased by his grandfather John Floyd Ryle in 1906. This 247-acre farm still remains in the family. After high school, William Jr. obtained his A.S. degree from South Georgia College, and his B.B.A. from the University of Georgia. Entering the Army as a private upon graduation, he completed basic training at Ft. Dix, New Jersey. Upon graduation from the Army's Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Georgia, he was commissioned 2nd LT on 29 April 1969. The author completed his tour of service in 1972 as a captain and battalion staff officer (S-4) of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry which was attached to the Pershing Missile Command in Germany. The author was retired at age 57 from Koger Office Parks as general manager of the Koger Office Center in Nashville, Tennessee. This was an unexpected retirement coming from the takeover of Koger Equity, Inc. and the subsequent sale of all Koger Office Parks. The author and his wife returned "home" to Hazlehurst in 2001, and now live happily among family, friends and loving neighbors in that little south Georgia town where they first met.

This book provides a broad understanding of whether law plays a role in influencing patterns of sustainable consumption and, if so, how. Bringing together legal scholars from the Global South and the Global North, it examines these questions in the context of national, transnational and international law, within single and plural legal systems, and across a range of sector-specific issue areas. The chapters identify how traditional legal disciplines (e.g. constitutional law, consumer law, public procurement, international public law), sector-related regulation (e.g. energy, water, waste), and legal rules in specific areas (e.g. eco-labelling and packing) engage with the concept of sustainable consumption. A number of the contributions describe this relationship by isolating a national legal system, while others approach it from the vantage point of legal pluralism, exploring the conflicts and convergences of rules between multiple international treaties (or guidelines) and those between the rules of international and transnational law (or both) vis-a-vis national legal systems. While sustainable consumption is recognised as an important field of interdisciplinary research linking virtually all social science disciplines, legal scholarship, in contrast, has neglected the importance of the field of sustainable consumption to the law. This book fills the gap.

Ktke's new book brilliantly integrates the best contemporary research into a compelling argument on the inevitable collapse of the consumer empire. The argument presented is not a fuzzy doomsday prophecy but rather a strong fact-based prediction that will leave the reader awestruck. Equally brilliant, however, is the "solution" that is offered. The solution offered is not wedded to "high tech" fantasies that will invite further mindless consumption of scarce resources. The author carefully outlines a new culture based on self-sufficient eco-villages, a concept that is gathering momentum and will allow a sustainable transition from the collapse of the consumer empire. This book delivers an important message for anyone ready to come to grips with the impending industrial collapse.

The book is a cornerstone in the studies aimed at introducing a new form of democracy not just at a global level, through international environmental law, but also at local one, by regional and national regulation, to manage global and local ecological problems. In the light of the results pointed out in Parola's book (Environmental democracy at Global Level. Rights and duties for a new citizenship), this second work examines environmental democracy at a local level by referring to EU law. The European Union, as the only global region with the official objective of simultaneously promoting economic development, social cohesion and environmental protection is here used as an example for analyzing how the region has found (and is still developing) a range of solutions to various environmental issues. The book sheds new light on the transformation of Europe into a Green Europe.

This book presents an eclectic mix of interesting new areas in the domain of economics, management and sustainability. Written by leading experts, it provides valuable food for thought, with essays introducing new lines of research and empirical research papers offering sound research methodology. The book not only provides answers, but also raises numerous interesting questions concerning the areas covered to whet readers' appetites to learn more. Professor Anup Sinha is a respected teacher and is a great mind with wide-ranging academic interests spanning from economics and sustainability to management. As well as in various other places in India and the US, he has taught at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Presidency College (now a University) Calcutta for almost three decades. To commemorate his contributions, this festschrift presents a collection of essays that are broadly subdivided into four sections: Economic Development; Vulnerabilities and Inclusive Growth; Sustainability and Corporate Governance; and Innovation and Management.

This book serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding the theories and applications in managing the Asian fashion supply chain, presenting both quantitative and exploratory studies. Providing academicians and practitioners insights into the latest developments and models, it also offers diverse perspectives on areas like strategic sourcing, quick response strategies, and other essential parts of the supply chain.

Governing Arctic Seas introduces the concept of ecopolitical regions, using in-depth analyses of the Bering Strait and Barents Sea Regions to demonstrate how integrating the natural sciences, social sciences and Indigenous knowledge can reveal patterns, trends and processes as the basis for informed decisionmaking. This book draws on international, interdisciplinary and inclusive (holistic) perspectives to analyze governance mechanisms, built infrastructure and their coupling to achieve sustainability in biophysical regions subject to shared authority. Governing Arctic Seas is the first volume in a series of books on Informed Decisionmaking for Sustainability that apply, train and refine science diplomacy to address transboundary issues at scales ranging from local to global. For nations and peoples as well as those dealing with global concerns, this holistic process operates across a 'continuum of urgencies' from security time scales (mitigating risks of political, economic and cultural instabilities that are immediate) to sustainability time scales (balancing economic prosperity, environmental protection and societal well-being across generations). Informed decisionmaking is the apex goal, starting with questions that generate data as stages of research, integrating decisionmaking institutions to employ evidence to reveal options (without advocacy) that contribute to informed decisions. The first volumes in the series focus on the Arctic, revealing legal, economic, environmental and societal lessons with accelerating knowledge co-production to achieve progress with sustainability in this globally-relevant region that is undergoing an environmental state change in the sea and on land. Across all volumes, there is triangulation to integrate research, education and leadership as well as science, technology and innovation to elaborate the theory, methods and skills of informed decisionmaking to build common interests for the benefit of all on Earth.

This book provides a wide-ranging overview of the current state of tourist destination management and presents important recent research in the field. Contemporary theoretical and methodological approaches to management and marketing are discussed, and innovative practices with respect to both urban and rural destinations are described with the aid of many interesting case studies from across Europe and beyond. In addition, the volume addresses key issues such as governance, cooperation, the use of social media, and sustainability. A variety of influences on tourism development are examined, and efficient strategies for making destinations distinct are explored. The book will be a welcome addition and update to the existing literature and will be of interest to academics and practitioners alike.

In Rock | Water | Life, Lesley Green examines the interwoven realities of inequality, racism, colonialism, and environmental destruction in South Africa, calling for environmental research and governance to transition to an ecopolitical approach that could address South Africa's history of racial oppression and environmental exploitation.

Green analyses conflicting accounts of nature in environmental sciences that claim neutrality amid ongoing struggles for land restitution and environmental justice.

Offering in-depth studies of environmental conflict in contemporary South Africa, Green addresses the history of contested water access in Cape Town; struggles over natural gas fracking in the Karoo; debates about decolonising science; the potential for a politics of soil in the call for land restitution; urban baboon management, and the consequences of sending sewage to urban oceans.

Between 1995 and 2005, the government of Alberta undertook major reforms to the way water is governed in the arid southern part of the province. Among the most significant reforms was the imposition of moratoria on new water licenses, the introduction of a market for buying and selling existing water licenses, and the adoption of a "conservation holdback" mechanism for returning some licensed water to the environment. In Water Policy Reform in Southern Alberta, B. Timothy Heinmiller looks at how and why these (and other) reforms were adopted after nearly a century of stasis on water policy. The study analyses over three decades of policy decisions, beginning with the Progressive Conservative victory in 1972 to the last major policy reform in 2007. Applying the Advocacy Coalition Framework, process tracing methodologies, and content analysis, the author isolates, identifies and reconstructs the actors and processes that shaped over thirty years of water policy in Alberta. Water Policy Reform in Southern Alberta offers important insights on the management of natural resources and the factors influencing meaningful policy change.

The classic reference on weeds and invasive plants, revised and updated

The Third Edition of the authoritative reference gives readers an in-depthunderstanding of how weeds and invasive plants develop and interact in the environment so they can manage and control them more effectively. The guide includes an introduction to weeds and invasive plants in various environments and an overview of their ecology and evolution. With extensive examples, it:

Focuses on the biological features of weeds and invasive plants, especially as they exist in agriculture, forests, rangelands, and natural ecosystems

Includes coverage of exotic invasive plants

Discusses a variety of methods and tools for managing weeds and invasive plants, including physical, cultural, biological, and chemical approaches

Examines systems approaches for management, including modern Integrated Pest Management

Addresses future challenges for scientists, farmers, and land managers

This is the definitive, hands-on reference for land managers and professionals in plant sciences, agronomy, weed science, and horticulture. It is also an excellent textbook for senior undergraduate or graduate students studying agriculture, ecology, natural resources management, environmental management, or related fields.

This book presents the spatial and temporal dynamics of land use and land cover in the central Tibetan Plateau during the last two decades, based on various types of satellite data, long-term field investigation and GIS techniques. Further, it demonstrates how remote sensing can be used to map and characterize land use, land cover and their dynamic processes in mountainous regions, and to monitor and model relevant biophysical parameters. The Tibetan Plateau, the highest and largest plateau on the Earth and well known as "the roof of the world," is a huge mountainous area on the Eurasian continent and covers millions of square kilometers, with an average elevation of over 4000 m. After providing an overview of the background and an introduction to land use and land cover change, the book analyzes the current land use status, dynamic changes and spatial distribution patterns of different land-use types in the study area, using various types of remotely sensed data, digital elevation models and GIS spatial analysis methods to do so. In turn, it discusses the main driving forces, based on the main physical environment variables and socioeconomic data, and provides a future scenario analysis of land use change using a Markov chain model. Given its scope, it provides a valuable reference guide for researchers, scientists and graduate students working on environmental change in mountainous regions around the globe, and for practitioners working at government and non-government agencies.

With unequaled insight, business experts profile 12 outstanding, sustainable, small- to medium-sized enterprises and explain how their green strategies and methods have helped them succeed. A Simple Path to Sustainability: Green Business Strategies for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses is designed specifically to help smaller enterprises share in the benefits that flow from sustainability. Built around case histories showcasing 12 small to medium-size enterprises (SMEs) that have outstanding records of sustainability, this unique, hands-on guide will help readers choose and develop sustainability strategies and undertake the marketing and management initiatives necessary for success. The studies collected here detail each company's journey from initial idea through building a new culture, engaging stakeholders, gaining competitive advantage, and planning for the future. Each study also covers the challenges encountered, successes and failures, and lessons learned. Cases are centered around distinct themes, including a marketing/public relations perspective, a risk management perspective, an organizational culture perspective, and a new product development perspective. Taken as a whole, these stories do more than inform. They will inspire managers to become green entrepreneurs, undertaking sustainable strategies that can reap surprising benefits. Case histories of small to medium-size enterprises in industries from manufacturing to health care, banking/investing, and recycling detailing their journeys to sustainability and environmental stewardship A "Lessons Learned" box in each chapter Sidebars with tips and examples that can be used by any type of business A reference bibliography at the end of each chapter A glossary

The earth is continuously changing and evolving yet it is unclear how environmental changes will affect us in years to come. What changes are inevitable? What changes, if any, are beneficial? And what can we do as citizens of this planet to protect it and our future generations?

Larry Slobodkin, one of the leading pioneers of modern ecology, offers compelling answers to these questions in A Citizen's Guide to Ecology. He provides many insights into ecology and the processes that keep the world functioning. This important guide introduces observations that underlie arguments about all aspects of the natural environment--including both global and local issues. To clarify difficult concepts, Slobodkin uses lake, ocean, and terrestrial ecosystems to explain ecological energy flows and relationships on a global scale.

The book presents a clear and current understanding of the ecological world, and how individual citizens can participate in practical decisions on ecological issues. It tackles such issues as global warming, ecology and health, organic farming, species extinction and adaptation, and endangered species.

An excellent introduction and overview, A Citizen's Guide to Ecology helps us to understand what steps we as humans can take to keep our planet habitable for generations to come.

"This beautifully written book brings together careful observation, personal reflection, and theoretical understanding to explain the major environmental problems that confront us. Dr. Slobodkin's superb and sweeping work invites us to contemplate a great many facts and a few large values to motivate a clear and compelling response to losses of biodiversity, the problem of invasive species, global warming, and other environmental concerns."--Mark Sagoff, School of Public Affairs, University of Maryland