Consumer Society and Ecological Crisis advances a critique of consumer capitalism and its role in driving environmental degradation and climate crisis, placing a spotlight on how marketing and distribution activities help maintain unsustainable levels of consumption. Rather than focusing on the most visible sites of promotional communication, Meier examines less conspicuous facets of marketing and logistics in distinct chapters on plastic packaging, e-commerce, and sustainability pledges in the fossil fuel sector. These three main chapters each explore links between ecological crisis and consumer capitalism, drawing on critical theory and Marxist thought. The topics of consumer convenience, speed, and economic growth - and the role of fossil fuels as guarantor of these logics of consumer society - unite the critical analysis. Situated in the field of media and communication studies and adopting an interdisciplinary approach, this book will be of interest to academics, researchers, and students in the areas of media and communication studies, cultural studies, sociology, geography, philosophy, political science, and advertising.

Solar Photovoltaic Technology Production: Potential Environmental Impacts and Implications for Governance provides an overview of the emerging industrial PV sector, its technologies, and the regulatory frameworks supporting them. This new book reviews and categorizes the potential environmental impacts of several main PV technologies, examining the extent to which current EU governance frameworks regulate such impacts. By identifying the gaps or regulatory mismatches and creating a basis for normative recommendations on governance change, this book analyzes potential governance implications and their impacts in relation to manufacturers upscaling PV production techniques.

Throughout the 1970s and the 1980s, energy policy has been a hotly debated topic. Governments around the world have struggled to respond to a changing energy market. Yet the policy-making process is all too often distorted by self-interest groups who are informed by narrow, technical research. The question addressed by this volume is one of the most timely and critical of the energy-related questions: How much longer can we rely on petroleum as a transportation fuel? This book, which includes a subset of papers commissioned for an unusual symposium (Alternative Transportation Fuels of the 1990s and Beyond, July 17-19, 1988), addresses the broader issues of transportation-fuel policy in regard to energy security, economic growth, and environmental quality. While many conferences have addressed the subject of alternative fuels, their scope has been intensive and narrow, focusing on a few specific areas in the spectrum of possibilities. This conference was the first in many years to offer such a broad exploration of alternative fuels. Presenters included influential executives and administrators from the Department of Energy, and the motor vehicle and energy industries; federal, state, and local governments; environmental groups as well as leading researchers in the fields of air quality analysis, motor vehicle technology, and energy policy.

In addition to an introduction and conclusion by Daniel Sperling, a total of 17 papers are presented in this volume. What is most exceptional and exciting about this collection is the presentation of contrasting views and the sharing of this wealth of information with a broader audience. Examined here are global fuel strategy, ethanol fuels in Brazil, alternative fuels as a solution to the air quality problem, Chevron's view of the future of oil, and the role of government in promoting alternative transportation fuels. Methanol, compressed natural gas, and hydrogen-powered and electric vehicles are also discussed. In addition to the analytical papers, the volume also includes a short article representing the viewpoint of an environmentally minded citizen. This book should appeal to any individual involved or interested in this important area. Researchers will appreciate the opportunity to consider so many well-researched but varying perspectives. It will be essential--and perhaps should be required reading--for policy makers, providing them with an overview of the issues and helping them make more intelligent, effective, and strategic choices. For the general public--those who are affected by energy and transportation policies--it is a unique opportunity to gain a broad understanding of our transportation fuel options and their environmental and economic consequences.

WEEE Recycling: Research, Development, and Policies covers policies, research, development, and challenges in recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The book introduces WEEE management and then covers the environmental, economic, and societal applications of e-waste recycling, focusing on the technical challenges to designing efficient and sustainable recycling processes-including physical separation, pyrometallurgical, and hydrometallurgical processes. The development of processes for recovering strategic and critical metals from urban mining is a priority for many countries, especially those having few available ores mining.

This book provides the detail information about nanoparticles, their types, characterization techniques such as TEM, FESEM, AFM, XRD etc. nanogenotoxicity, metal and metal oxide nanoparticle's toxicity, physical and chemical characterization of nanomaterials, entry routes, cell-nano interaction studies, possible impacts to the human kind, and on the methods of evaluating the toxicity. It puts together comprehensive and up-to-date information about sustainable approaches in making an eco-friendly environment using advanced nanotechnologies. It educated readers about the new frontiers and scope of employing various state-of-art nano-technologies to clean-up and save our environment. This book will be of interest to teachers, researchers, environmental biotechnologists, capacity builders and policymakers. Also the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, environmental sciences, environmental engineering and biotechnology.

Air Pollution and Community Health A Critical Review and Data Sourcebook Frederick W. Lipfert Air pollution has affected community health since the advent of the industrial age and arguably since the discovery of fire. While organized societies have taken important steps to reduce and control emissions, the quality of the air we breathe today remains a critical concern. Air Pollution and Community Health transforms the major epidemiological works of the past 40 years into a coherent picture of the effects of air pollution on respiration, hospitalization, and mortality. The book re-evaluates these studies to clarify their findings within a consistent analytical framework and to define statistical relationships between various measures of community health and air quality. Lipfert emphasizes observational studies and the quality of the data used. The book is organized by health endpoint rather than by pollutant, beginning with the major air pollution disasters that helped galvanize the environmental revolution. His analysis shows that community air pollution acts primarily to exacerbate existing conditions in susceptible individuals, rather than to create new cases of respiratory disease. He concludes that "the alarms that sounded over 40 years ago are still ringing"--substantial health risks are still presented by the current urban mixtures of air pollution. Many of the studies reviewed suggest that the current ambient air quality standards required by the Clean Air Act fail to protect the health of the most susceptible individuals. Further, because of the role of natural sources of air pollution, questions are raised as to whether complete protection can ever be achieved. The book presents data from many of the epidemiological studies reviewed, including those of the major disasters of 1930-1960. Graphical presentations are featured for easy reference; many new analyses are presented here for the first time. The book also includes introductory chapters on air pollution, statistical analysis, and respiratory physiology, for the convenience of readers who may not be well versed in all of these topics. The major technical chapters on mortality and hospitalization include reviews of the effects of air pollution episodes, time-series analyses, cross-sectional studies, and long-term studies of pollution abatement. The chapters on respiratory function include both the effects of air pollution on function and the role of lung function as an independent predictor of longevity. Air Pollution and Community Health presents one of the first comprehensive analyses of the subject. It should be used to re-examine the effectiveness of air pollution research and control policies in the United States and is essential reading for all professionals involved in air pollution control or public health.

This volume offers a review of measures taken at different levels to prevent oil inputs to the North Sea from sources such as shipping and oil installations. A range of data from satellites, remote sensing, aerial surveillance, in-situ monitoring, oil spill sampling and beached bird surveys presents a comprehensive portrait of trends in oil pollution over many years. Topics include Bonn Agreement-based actions to eliminate illegal and accidental pollution from ships, OSPAR monitoring of oil installations, EMSA CleanSeaNet activities, and an internationally approved common standard for oil spills presented by the Bonn-OSINet. A chapter on the role of the IMO in preventing oil pollution from ships provides an international context, while others discuss efforts being made at the national level. A decadal review of the state of the North Sea prepared by OSPAR supports the view that there has been a significant reduction of oil inputs to the sea. This thorough review addresses national and international agencies and government bodies, as well as policymakers and practitioners in the fields of shipping, ports and terminals, oil extraction and marine management. Further, it provides researchers with essential reference material on tools and techniques for monitoring oil pollution and offers a valuable resource for undergraduate and post-graduate students in the field of marine oil pollution.

Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology attempts to provide concise, critical reviews of timely advances, philosophy and significant areas of accomplished or needed endeavor in the total field of xenobiotics, in any segment of the environment, as well as toxicological implications.

The book provides a cross-sectoral, multi-scale assessment of development-directed investigations in the main rivers of wider Central Asia and Afghanistan. The book highlights the development of river systems, water reservoirs, ecosystems and risks as well as the impact of climate change on water resources in Central Asian countries and Afghanistan. It provides information on the genesis of river basins, physical and chemical properties of water in rivers, and the hydrological regimes of the rivers of Central Asia and Afghanistan. The book is useful for scientists and researchers whose work focuses on rivers and the use of water resources, irrigation, ecosystems, risks, water supply, climate change and remote sensing, as well as for students and planners, administrations and other stakeholders in the water sector.

The handbook Global Environmental Change is intended to serve as a reliable and comprehensive resource to attend the needs of researchers, teachers, students, and professionals working in science and policy aspects relevant to environment and sustainability. Entries in the handbook are arranged by major section, and are extensively cross-referenced to allow users to find related titles in a user-friendly way. The handbook is available as a printed volume and as an on-line reference work.

The book deals primarily with the aspects like energy resources and its proper utilization, disposal of various forms of wastes and its effects and effects of major catastrophic events like nuclear disasters, global warming, etc. It also deals with the choice of suitable disposal sites for solid and hazardous waste, which is growing at an extremely rapid pace due to rapid industrialization, population growth (primarily in countries like India and China) and urbanization. In addition groundwater contamination due to various causes and its effect on the food chain is also amply discussed. The book is specifically aimed with the state-of-art information regarding research and development in these areas of study, coupled to extensive modelling and case based results obtained, both from India as well as other countries. The book is extremely instructive for the students, research workers, scientists, faculty members in Applied Physics, Solid Earth Geophysics, Radiometric Methods and Exploration, Ground Water Geochemistry, Mathematical Modeling Techniques in Earth Sciences, Near Surface Geophysics and Earth and Environmental Sciences.

The car, and the range of social and political institutions which sustain its dominance, play an important role in many of the environmental problems faced by contemporary society. But in order to understand the possibilities for moving towards sustainability and 'greening cars', it is first necessary to understand the political forces that have made cars so dominant. This book identifies these forces as a combination of political economy and cultural politics. From the early twentieth century, the car became central to the organization of capitalism and deeply embedded in individual identities, providing people with a source of value and meaning but in a way which was broadly consistent with social imperatives for mobility. Projects for sustainability to reduce the environmental impacts of cars are therefore constrained by these forces but must deal with them in order to shape and achieve their goals.

Membrane Technologies for Biorefining highlights the best practices needed for the efficient and environmentally-compatible separation techniques that are fundamental to the conversion of biomass to fuels and chemicals for use as alternatives to petroleum refining. Membrane technologies are increasingly of interest in biorefineries due to their modest energy consumption, low chemical requirements, and excellent separation efficiency. The book provides researchers in academia and industry with an authoritative overview of the different types of membranes and highlights the ways in which they can be applied in biorefineries for the production of chemicals and biofuels. Topics have been selected to highlight both the variety of raw materials treated in biorefineries and the range of biofuel and chemical end-products.

Pesticides play an important role in controlling pests that carry diseases and threaten crop production. In recent years, however, there has been increased concern about the adverse impacts of pesticides and their degradation products on public health and the environment. A considerable amount of work is being done to develop nonchemical methods of pest control, but it is not yet feasible to dispense with the use of chemical pesticides. Pesticides: Evaluation of Environmental Pollution brings together, in a single volume, current knowledge on environmental pollution caused by pesticides. It helps readers evaluate the effects that pesticide residues have in all compartments of the environment. Featuring contributions by eminent scientists from around the world, the book gives an overview of the fate and transport of pesticides and their degradation in the environment. Detailing the sources, concentration, and hazards of residues, it examines their effects in humans, birds and mammals, fish, soil invertebrates, soil microflora, aquatic invertebrates, water, milk products, and more. The book also addresses endocrine-disrupting pesticides and explores biopesticides as alternatives to chemical pesticides. A review of data on the potential hazards of pesticides, this reference will be of interest to readers working in the areas of chemical crop protection and pollution management. It adds a balanced perspective to the debate between those who think that pesticides should be banned and those who consider the continued use of large quantities to be necessary for the survival of humanity. See also Handbook of Pesticides: Methods of Pesticide Residues Analysis (CRC Press, 2009).

Contaminated land is a problem both in the short and long term as it cannot be used without remediation. The investigation and analysis of the problem, along with the legal responsibilities surrounding the issues, continue to present difficulties to those wishing to use or develop a contaminated site. Since publication of the 1st edition, the area has developed rapidly. Building on the success of the first edition, the new edition has been fully updated to take account of advances in the field.

This collection addresses the complexities of water management and the impact of environmental developments such as dams, reservoirs and irrigation schemes on public health. The main focus of the book is on vector-borne diseases such as malaria, arboviruses (dengue and encephalitides) and snail- borne schistosomiasis. These are examined from a wide range of intersectoral perspectives which encompass disciplines with often conflicting interests, for instance agriculture, aquaculture, urban development, social development, water management and recreation. The book explains developmental processes, such as the construction of man-made lakes, and addresses broad practical and policy-making issues. Most importantly, the book offers many innovative solutions to assist readers who work in the water industry, whether through administration or science and engineering disciplines. Contributions from an international team of experts provide numerous case studies from around the world (Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, USA), which illustrate both poor and successful water management. The contributors provide historical and current coverage of the environmental and health issues prevalent in the field, but also gaze prospectively on the future development of constructed wetlands, aquaculture, urban development and funding agency policies, with the view to managing water resources more effectively and safely. This authoritative and comprehensive book is written in an accessible, non-technical manner and will be of interest to those involved in various aspects of water management and delivery, whether biologically skilled or not.

Determination of Metals and Anions in Soils, Sediments and Sludges is the first volume which comprehensively discusses the range of methods currently available for the analysis of metals and anions in soils, river and marine sediments and industrial sludges. There are specialist chapters on sampling, pollutant accumulation in sediments and bioaccumulation from soils to crops. A particular feature of this volume is its coverage of solid sewage, which is increasingly being applied to land as a fertilizer. An essential reference for chemists and toxicologists involved in water resource management, agrochemistry, fisheries and public health.

Books of Related Interest from Van Nostrand Reinhold Air Pollution Control and Waste Incineration for Hospitals and Other Medical Facilities By Louis Theodore, 276 pages, 6 x 9 ISBN 0-442-00398-6 Here is virtually everything hospital professionals need to gain a complete understanding of hospital air pollution control and waste incineration technology. Taking a logical, step-by-step approach, the book provides readers with a thorough overview of the field, up-to-the-minute information on waste incineration and air pollution regulations, as well as general background and specific information on such important matters as incinerator operation and maintenance calculations. Where Did That Chemical Go? A Practical Guide to Chemical Fate and Transport in the Environment By Ronald E. Ney, Jr., 256 pages, 6 x 9 ISBN 0-442-00457-5 How to predict the possibility of exposure of humans and animals to chemicals released in the environment is explained in this guide. It covers more than 100 organic and inorganic chemicals of major concern in the environment, and provides 200 examples of how to interpret and predict hazardous contact. Several tracing techniques for chemicals released or intentionally placed in the air, water, soil, plants, or animals are discussed. Tables that demonstrate how to plug in data make it easier to predict exposure possibilities. Included is a glossary that clarifies scientific terms. Industrial Emergency Preparedness By Robert B. Kelly, 328 pages, 6 x 9 ISBN 0-442-20483-3 This invaluable guide provides safety engineers and managers, loss prevention managers, and police and fire fighters with easily accomplished techniques for developing a comprehensive industrial program to handle major emergencies, such as fires, chemical spills, gas leaks, and explosions. It discusses all the requirements for developing a workable emergency program, from assessing response capabilities and conducting drills, to improving community planning and dealing with the media during emergencies. Natural Resource Management of Water and Land By Edward O. Gangstad, 210 pages, 6 x 9 ISBN 0-442-00481-8 Covering such diverse areas as arid lands, the prairies, and the eastern U.S., the book details those areas and conditions where stresses on water and land resources have occurred - and are most likely to occur - and examines the pros and cons of the different biological and chemical control technologies used to mitigate those problems. In addition, the book evaluates major natural resource management strategies that have been employed to rectify water and land problems involving industrial and domestic water supply, irrigation, pollution control, fish and wildlife enhancement, hydroelectric power development, recreational use, flood control, and navigation.

This text details the plant-assisted remediation method, "phytoremediation", which involves the interaction of plant roots and associated rhizospheric microorganisms for the remediation of soil contaminated with high levels of metals, metalloids, fuel and oil hydrocarbons, nano particles, pesticides, solvents, organic compounds and various other contaminants. Many chapters highlight and compare the efficiency and economic advantages of phytoremediation and nano-phytoremediation to currently practiced soil and water treatment practices. Volume 6 of Phytoremediation: Management of Environmental Contaminants continues the series. Taken together, the six volumes provide a broad-based global synopsis of the current applications of phytoremediation using plants and the microbial communities associated with their roots to decontaminate terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

This book presents a detailed history of chemical warfare development during the First World War and discusses design approaches to gas masks and the performance of new filter materials that decontaminate chemical warfare agents (CWA) when applied in the vapor phase. It describes multifunctional nanocomposites containing zinc and zirconium (hydr)oxides, graphite oxide and silver or gold nanoparticles as reactive adsorbents for the degradation of the CWAs vapors. In addition it examines in detail the surface properties that are most important in the mineralization performance.

Monitoring of Harmful Algae Blooms is a timely guide to the research techniques in use to monitor visible algae blooms and through remote sensing, including infrared techniques, predict them through mathematical modeling. Drawing on current and future satellite data, the book presents visible perspectives on a more efficient HAB monitoring system for the future. It also emphasizes practical applications, impacting on marine ecology, national economy, health, food and safety and quality assurance.

This proceedings volume gathers selected papers presented at the Chinese Materials Conference 2017 (CMC2017), held in Yinchuan City, Ningxia, China, on July 06-12, 2017. This book covers a wide range of energy conversion and storage materials, thermoelectric materials and devices, nuclear materials, solar energy materials and solar cells, minerals and oil and gas materials, photocatalytic materials for energy production, eco-materials, and environmental engineering materials. The Chinese Materials Conference (CMC) is the most important serial conference of the Chinese Materials Research Society (C-MRS) and has been held each year since the early 1990s. The 2017 installment included 37 Symposia covering four fields: Advances in energy and environmental materials; High performance structural materials; Fundamental research on materials; and Advanced functional materials. More than 5500 participants attended the congress, and the organizers received more than 700 technical papers. Based on the recommendations of symposium organizers and after peer reviewing, 490 papers have been included in the present proceedings, which showcase the latest original research results in the field of materials, achieved by more than 300 research groups at various universities and research institutes.

Developing countries recognize the importance of their future role in responding to the uncertainty posed by global climate change through appropriate technical, institutional, and policy measures. The ongoing global negotiations are now in a critical phase. A comprehensive assessment and understanding of issues relevant to developing countries, such as greenhouse gas emissions inventories, contribution of developing countries to greenhouse gas emissions, projected climate change, impacts of climate change on the ecosystems and developing economies, mitigation opportunities, and potential socio-economic implications for developing countries, is necessary in order to address the emerging climate change.

This book presents the alternative perspectives of developing countries on opportunities to benefit from the current and emerging global negotiations, institutions, and mechanisms to address climate change. Analyses show that the developing countries, with appropriate policy and institutional responses, could benefit from the global programs for mitigating the climate change. A comprehensive and simplified guide to assist negotiators and policy makers from developing countries, as well as researchers, is provided.

The unique feature of this book is that it provides a comprehensive coverage of different issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, mitigation analysis, impacts and adaptation, policy options, emerging global institutions and mechanisms, and alternative perspectives of developing countries.

The book provides basic information, analysis, and interpretation of various aspects relevant to climate change and will be a valuable asset to researchers, negotiators, policymakers, and environmental groups engaged in the analysis and discussion of climate change.

Professionals in environmental health and safety (EHS) management use statistics every day in making decisions. This book was created to provide the quantitative tools and techniques necessary to make important EHS assessments. Readers need not be statistically or mathematically inclined to make the most of this book-mathematical derivations are kept to a minimum and subjects are approached in a simple and factual manner, complemented with plenty of real-world examples. Chapters 1-3 cover knowledge of basic statistical concepts such as presentation of data, measurements of location and dispersion, and elementary probability and distributions. Data gathering and analysis topics including sampling methods, sampling theory, testing, and interference as well as skills for critically evaluating published numerical material is presented in Chapters 4-6. Chapters 7-11 discuss information generation topics-regression and correlation analysis, time series, linear programming, network and Gnatt charting, and decision analysis-tools that can be used to convert data into meaningful information. Chapter 12 features six examples of projects made successful through statistical approaches being applied. Readers can use these approaches to solve their own unique problems. Whether you are a EHS professional, manager, or student, Health, Safety, and Environmental Data Analysis: A Business Approach will help you communicate statistical data effectively.

Bioremediation is the use of microorganisms' metabolism to degrade waste contaminants (sewage, domestic, and industrial effluents) into non-toxic or less toxic materials by natural biological processes. Remediation through fungi-or mycoremediation-has multifarious possibilities in applied remediation engineering and the future of environmental sustainability. Fungi have the biochemical and ecological capability to degrade environmental organic chemicals and to decrease the risk associated with metals, semi-metals, noble metals, and radionuclides, either by chemical modification or by manipulating chemical bioavailability. Additionally, the capability of these fungi to form extended mycelia networks, the low specificity of their catabolic enzymes, and their using pollutants as a growth substrate make these fungi well suited for bioremediation processes. Their mycelia exhibit the robustness of adapting to highly limiting environmental conditions often experienced in the presence of persistent pollutants, which makes them more useful compared to other microbes. However, despite dominating the living biomass in soil and being abundant in aquatic ecosystems, fungi have not been exploited for the bioremediation of such environments. This book covers the various types of fungi and associated fungal processes used to clean up waste and wastewaters in contaminated environments and discusses future potential applications.