'A hymn of love to the world ... A journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise' Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two ways of knowledge together. Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings - asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass - offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices. In a rich braid of reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.

This book examines the democratic acceptance of spatial planning measures, using Switzerland as a case study. The currently inefficient land use in industrialised countries calls for new spatial planning policies. Yet governments have largely failed to implement innovative policy measures, which may be due to a lack of democratic acceptance. To date, little is known about the democratic acceptance of spatial planning measures. Switzerland offers a promising candidate because of its direct-democratic system, which allows citizens' preferences for specific policy measures to be directly measured. In this work, the democratic acceptance of spatial planning instruments is investigated from various perspectives in the form of original empirical studies, which are embedded in an innovative conceptual framework. It demonstrates that not only spatial planning instruments in general, but also incentive-based instruments in particular, generally enjoy high acceptance. This finding is remarkable, considering the fact that efficient land use instruments have only been marginally implemented. Addressing the needs of both academics and land use practitioners in the private and public sector, the book shows that in order to improve the democratic acceptance of spatial planning measures, attention must be paid to their context, content and the means by which that content is provided.

Networks of Invasion bridges a conceptual gap between ecological network studies and invasion biology studies. This book contains chapters detailing pressing concerns regarding invasive species in food webs, but also extends the idea of networks of invasion to other systems, such as mutualistic networks or even the human microbiome. Chapters describe the tools, models, and empirical methods adapted for tackling invasions in ecological networks.

While it is possible for a company achieve short-term profit, it is much more difficult to sustain corporate success over time. This book is intended for those who run, or want to run, a business whatever its size or activity, with the objective of making it sustainable so that it will be a legacy for future generations. Indeed, the real purpose of corporate strategy is not only to make quick profits, but more importantly to create an organization that will endure. There is much to learn from the experience of established firms that have existed for a hundred years or more. They provide the material for this clear and concise book, which details the main elements of corporate strategy. Recognizing that each firm is unique, the book resists the temptation of quick fixes, instead offering lessons to be pondered and used on a case-by-case basis.

This book provides a holistic, interdisciplinary overview of offshore wind energy, and is a must-read for advanced researchers. Topics, from the design and analysis of future turbines, to the decommissioning of wind farms, are covered. The scope of the work ranges from analytical, numerical and experimental advancements in structural and fluid mechanics, to novel developments in risk, safety & reliability engineering for offshore wind.The core objective of the current work is to make offshore wind energy more competitive, by improving the reliability, and operations and maintenance (O&M) strategies of wind turbines. The research was carried out under the auspices of the EU-funded project, MARE-WINT. The project provided a unique opportunity for a group of researchers to work closely together, undergo multidisciplinary doctoral training, and conduct research in the area of offshore wind energy generation. Contributions from expert, external authors are also included, and the complete work seeks to bridge the gap between research and a rapidly-evolving industry.

This book explores new approaches and strategies that luxury fashion brands could adopt in their operations toward sustainability goals. It addresses the unique challenges faced by luxury fashion brands, given that concepts of luxury and sustainability may be conflicting. In doing so, it elaborates on how fashion brands need to manage their suppliers to comply with and improve social and environmental conditions, the pressure to fulfill the triple-bottom lines, consumer demands for transparency, and social media and its advantages in achieving sustainability goals. Exploring the notion that luxury fashion brands are in a better position to pursue superior sustainability performance, it presents research that highlights how the consequences of non-compliance could have more devastating effects on luxury brands than on mass-market brands. The book is a valuable resource for academics and practitioners in the field of business, sustainability, and fashion.

This book discusses the concepts and technologies associated with the mitigation of urban heat islands (UHIs) that are applicable in hot and humid regions. It presents several city case studies on how UHIs can be reduced in various areas to provide readers, researchers, and policymakers with insights into the concepts and technologies that should be considered when planning and constructing urban centres and buildings. The rapid development of urban areas in hot and humid regions has led to an increase in urban temperatures, a decrease in ventilation in buildings, and a transformation of the once green outdoor environment into areas full of solar-energy-absorbing concrete and asphalt. This situation has increased the discomfort of people living in these areas regardless of whether they occupy concrete structures. This is because indoor and outdoor air quality have both suffered from urbanisation. The development of urban areas has also increased energy consumption so that the occupants of buildings can enjoy indoor thermal comfort and air quality that they need via air conditioning systems. This book offers solutions to the recent increase in the number of heat islands in hot and humid regions.

Corporate social responsibility now touches upon most aspects of the interaction between business and society. The approaches taken to research in this area are as varied as the topics that are researched; yet this is the first book to address the whole range of methods available. The Handbook identifies the methods available, evaluates their use and discusses the circumstances in which they might be appropriate. The design of a research project is an essential part of undertaking research, as is choosing appropriate methods for investigation and analysis. In addition, business and management research raises theoretical and practical problems that are not encountered in other fields. The chapters address this challenge over distinct parts. Part I on methodology planning is concerned with various aspects of planning the research project, including secondary data and ethics in the research process. Parts II and III outline quantitative and qualitative methods respectively, covering the vast majority of relevant approaches. Part IV provides forward-thinking guidance from experienced academics on the future directions of research in the area. Aimed specifically at researchers, this comprehensive and in-depth Handbook provides and essential resource for anyone working at the forefront of CSR research. Contributors include: K. Abadi, G.K. Amoako, A. Behl, S. Bhattacharya, C. Boachie, N. Capaldi, J.G. Clavel, J. Claydon, D. Crowther, F. de Paiva Duarte, M. Green, J. Gunawan, M.A. Islam, R. Kalinauskaite, H.Z. Khan, Md.R. Khan, L.M. Lauesen, S. Moggi, E. Ortiz, I. Oruc, D.E.R. Ospina, J.F.M. Ospina, L. Raimi, J.D. Rendtorff, F. Robertson, M. Samy, S. Seifi, H. Semeen, M. Sethi, H.J. Shaw, J.J.A. Shaw, L. Tauginiene, D. Turker, V.G. Venkatesh, K. Yekini, V. Zydziunaite

This edited volume brings together contributions from experts on a range of food security issues, and examines them through a number of case studies. A Millennium Development goal and important policy concern, food security is experiencing renewed interest due to globalisation, which has led to population affluence, changing consumption, and production and trade patterns. The authors discuss how globalisation brings a new dimension to the discussion on public policy on food security, and consider the extent to which Global Value Chains (GVCs) dominate trade, investment and international agricultural markets. Food Security and Sustainability therefore sheds new light on the nexus of food security and globalization, as well as its implications for investment and financing in the agro-food sector. The volume draws on papers presented at the inaugural Workshop of the Mediterranean Center for Food Security and Sustainable Growth (MED-SEC), an international network of academics focusing on issues of development, sustainability and food security.

Periphyton: Functions and Application in Environmental Remediation presents a systematic overview of a wide variety of periphyton functions and applications in environmental remediation, providing readers with an understanding of the biological/ecological features of periphyton, the methodology of their study, and their application in environmental conservation. With increases in environmental stress, anthropogenic impacts, and the global decline in biodiversity, there is a pressing need for methods to assess and improve environmental quality that are rapid, reliable, and cost-effective. Periphyton is an important component of benthic communities and plays a crucial role in the functioning of microbial food webs. Because of a number of advantages, such as a short lifecycle, relative immobility, more rapid responses to environmental stress and anthropogenic impact than any metazoa, ease of sampling, availability of taxonomic/molecular identification, and standardized methodologies for temporal/spatial comparisons, there has, in recent decades, been an increased interest in periphyton as a tool in biological conservation in aquatic ecosystems.

This book contains the proceedings of the 3rd IUPAC International Conference on Biodiversity (ICOB-3), November 3-8, 2001, Antalya, Turkey. This book discusses the value of bioresources and the need for their conservation in terms of the biomolecular chemistry of naturally occurring molecular systems. The development of pharmaceutical, agricultural and industrial products from bioresources can be used to promote incentives for conservation by providing an economic return to sustainable use of those sources. The 54 chapters inform readers on the search for insight into the species and documents how much of life remains to be scientifically identified. They also explore identification strategies and methods along with the implications for protecting biodiversity. In summary, biomolecular aspects of biodiversity and innovative utilization of bioresources are discussed from very diverse points of view ranging from their botanical, zoological, taxonomic and genomic expressions to their biomolecular, structural, mechanistic and functional aspects.

This book explores the political aspects of China's climate change policy, focusing on the newly established carbon markets and carbon trading schemes. Lo makes a case for understanding the policy change in terms of discourse and in relation to narratives of national power and development.

This comprehensive handbook provides a unique overview of the theory, methodologies and best practices in climate change communication from around the world. It fosters the exchange of information, ideas and experience gained in the execution of successful projects and initiatives, and discusses novel methodological approaches aimed at promoting a better understanding of climate change adaptation. Addressing a gap in the literature on climate change communication and pursuing an integrated approach, the handbook documents and disseminates the wealth of experience currently available in this field. Volume 3 of the handbook provides case studies from around the world, documenting and disseminating the wealth of experiences available.

Concerns surrounding environmental sustainability have led to an increase of interest in environmentally-friendly systems. In the ICT realm, attention has been largely paid to green aspects of hardware; however, it is equally necessary to address this issue from the software perspective. Green Services Engineering, Optimization, and Modeling in the Technological Age is a valuable reference source of the latest scholarly research on the implementation of green processes into software systems, contributing novel principles, methodologies, and tools to improve software development. Featuring comprehensive and timely coverage on various areas in service strategy and modeling, engineering, and sustainability, this publication is a pivotal reference source for researchers, practitioners, advanced-level students, and end users in the software development realm.

This book presents modern Bayesian analysis in a format that is accessible to researchers in the fields of ecology, wildlife biology, and natural resource management. Bayesian analysis has undergone a remarkable transformation since the early 1990s. Widespread adoption of Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques has made the Bayesian paradigm the viable alternative to classical statistical procedures for scientific inference. The Bayesian approach has a number of desirable qualities, three chief ones being: i) the mathematical procedure is always the same, allowing the analyst to concentrate on the scientific aspects of the problem; ii) historical information is readily used, when appropriate; and iii) hierarchical models are readily accommodated. This monograph contains numerous worked examples and the requisite computer programs. The latter are easily modified to meet new situations. A primer on probability distributions is also included because these form the basis of Bayesian inference. Researchers and graduate students in Ecology and Natural Resource Management will find this book a valuable reference.

Critically synthesising a range of disparate literatures and debates, this book asks what is at stake in mounting a decisive response to the 'socio-ecological crisis' - a crisis of humanity's relationship with the rest of nature that places social life as we know it in jeopardy. Martin Craig proposes that political economists within and beyond the field of political ecology make an indispensable contribution to the diagnosis of this crisis and the formulation of prescriptions for its resolution. In a wide-ranging yet concise exposition, he assess the fraught relationship between capitalist societies and the biosphere of which they are a part, and urges a renewed emphasis on political-economic structure and strategy when considering responses to the crisis. The result is a proposal for a critical yet inclusive research enterprise - 'ecological political economy' - within which a wide variety of researchers can readily participate.

Meso and Microplastic Risk Assessment in Marine Environment: New Threat and Challenges in Marine Environment presents an interdisciplinary approach, offering key techniques and management of microplastic contamination in the disciplines of environmental science, fisheries, oceanography, geology, chemistry, biology and ocean science. Sections cover an overview of microplastic in the marine environment, deal with the origin, occurrences, distribution and various methodologies (for dealing with microplastics) available for microplastics, address the global case study of microplastic separation using recent techniques, and discuss the impact of microplastics on human health and the surrounding environment. This book is an important step in the field of microplastic pollution mitigation in environmental science as it offers a thorough accounting of the effects of pollutants on the environment, marine organisms, and the public health implications, as such it is relevant for aquatic ecologists, oceanographers, toxicologists, and marine biologists.

This book presents a vibrant study of the rise, decline, and transformation of environmental thinking. The author's analysis moves from the proclaimed death of environmentalism toward the emerging theory and practices of postenvironmentalism in its manifold interpretations. Building upon current transformation of the relationship between science, technology, society and the environment, the book combines a theory-informed presentation of worldwide cases and crucial events in the history of environmentalism with a journey into scholarly explorations in order to answer the crucial question: where is environmental thinking heading?

This book, which is the first to be published in the emerging field of farm-level microsimulation, highlights the different methodological components of microsimulation modelling: hypothetical, static, dynamic, behavioural, spatial and macro-micro. The author applies various microsimulation-based methodological tools to farms in a consistent manner and, supported by a set of Stata codes, undertakes analysis of a wide range of farming systems from OECD countries. To these case studies, O'Donoghue incorporates farming policies such as CAP income support payments, agri-environmental schemes, forestry planting incentives and biomass incentives - in doing so, he illuminates the merits of microsimulation in this environment.

Addressing the area of shared leadership, also known as collective or distributed leadership, this edited book embraces the underlying idea that leadership is a dynamic process that intersects closely with followership. While some authors present rigorously researched qualitative and quantitative case studies that investigate the dynamics of followership in distributive leadership in terms of collective decision-making, leadership identity, roles and demographic composition of groups in a variety of settings, other authors take a critical look at distributed leadership models by viewing them through the lens of nature and ecosystems as well as human development processes. The chapters aim to inspire readers to challenge the current definition of leadership and explore more inclusive and holistic paradigms. Distributed Leadership provides a comprehensive and constructive contribution to the field of leadership and will be an essential read for academics and scholar-practitioners interested in business management.

There is no question that Africa is endowed with abundant natural resources of different magnitudes. However, more than a decade of high commodity prices and new hydrocarbon discoveries across the continent has led countless international organizations, donor agencies, and non-governmental organizations to devote considerable attention to the potential of natural resource-based development. Natural Resource-Based Development in Africa places a particular emphasis on the actors that help us understand the extent to which resources could be transformed into broader developmental outcomes. Based on a wide variety of primary sources and fieldwork, including in-person interviews and participant observations, this collection contributes to both scholarly and policy discussions around the governance and economic development roles of local entrepreneurs, transnational firms, civil society groups, local communities, and government agencies in Africa's natural resource sectors. Natural Resource-Based Development in Africa explores the impact that these actors have on regional trends such as resource nationalism and local procurement policies as well as grassroots-related issues such as poverty, livelihoods, gender equity, development, and human security.

John Muir (1838- 1914) was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and the modern day "patron saint of ecology." His writings on his adventures in the various wildernesses of America have been enjoyed by millions. His ecological activism helped to preserve many of the national parks, enabling others to enjoy nature. He founded the Sierra Club, which is one of the most important conservation organizations in the United States. Although his upbringing put him off religion for life he was an immensely spiritual man, and this quality and enthusiasm pervades all his writings, inspiring his readers, including politicians to preserve the natural landscapes. For this reason he is known as the "Father of the National Parks." Author William Anderson, said that Muir exemplified "the archetype of our oneness with the earth," and biographer Donald Worster said he believed his mission was ..".saving the American soul from total surrender to materialism." The Mountains of California (1894) draws on his many, decades of exploration, describing with poetic beauty and awe the lakes, mountains, plants and animals. Stickeen (1909) is Muir's most popular book, describing his adventures in Alaska with a dog. My First Summer in the Sierra (1911) is Muir's description of his spiritual awakening when he first encountered the mountains and valleys of central California. The Story of My Boyhood and Youth (1913) is Muir's autobiography, detailing his strict upbringing in Scotland, his emigration with his family to America, aged eleven, and of his first delight with the natural world. Travels in Alaska (1915), In the late 1800s, Muir made several trips to the pristine, unspoilt territory of Alaska, drawn to its beauty and purity, its glaciers and its wild animals - bears, bald eagles, wolves, and whales. The Cruise of the Corwin (1917), In 1881, the steamship Thomas Corwin voyaged into the treacherous Arctic seas to search for the lost ship Jeannette, which had been lost. The ship was not found, but Muir's account of this expedition is poetic and magical, describing the glaciers, vegetation and seas of this mysterious land. Steep Trails(1919), This book was derived from letters, articles and local publications written by John Muir, arranged in roughly chronological sequence. The chapters describing Nevada, San Gabriel and Utah were written in the field, and have great immediacy, describing Muir's first impressions. The Yosemite(1920), In this book Muir recounts his adventures during the years he lived in the Yosemite Valley's spectacular scenery. Muir captures the breath-taking beauty of the area alongside his most ambitious adventures; looking over the brink of Yosemite Falls, climbing a hundred feet up into a high, hollow ice-cone, and climbing to the top of Half Dome, covered with a fresh blanket of snow.

This book gives insights into sustainable development and how MNEs and other enterprises are responding to this in their business models. It places special emphasis on the Indian story and, at the same time, tries to explore alternative business models from other parts of the world (such as Africa) that can ensure sustainable development globally. Taking a balanced and multidimensional approach, this book discusses a wide range of literature, opinions, empirical models and case studies, dealing with complex dimensions of the thematic issues.' - Paul Shrivastava, Executive Director of Future EarthEconomic development that meets the needs of the global population without jeopardizing the capacity of future generations is a worldwide challenge for Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). They are expected to balance their role as global economic actors and environmental stewards in the environment in which they operate. Contributors from India, Europe and the United States offer new perspectives, contrasting US, European and emerging economies' approaches to sustainability and how they can generate roadmaps which yield innovative solutions for one of the most contentious issues of our era. Their review suggests that the differential performance across developed and emerging economies has exposed potential weaknesses. Emerging Dynamics of Sustainability in Multinational Enterprises promotes greater emphasis on experimenting with unique local and sustainable approaches to solving problems faced by firms in, or from, emerging economies. This is a critical resource for researchers, practitioners and policy-makers concerned with sustainable development issues, and a fresh reference for graduate-level students and academics focusing on corporate governance, sustainable development and ethics as well as multinational enterprise management. Contributors: M. Bansal , N. Bhasin, J. Effiong, C. Gendron, B. Girard, P. Goel, D. Griffith, R. Guimaraes, T. Houe, S. Ivanaj, S.K. Jain, V. Jain, R.N. Kar, A. Kaur, Y. Kebede, J.R. McIntyre, Minakshi, K.V. Bhanu Murthy, G.A. Raikar, K.N. Schmidt, K. Sharma, K. Sorsa, G. Suder, A.K. Swain, S. Varma, N.H. Vaz