The convertors would spew it out,"" employee Arturo Hernandez recalled, referring to molten metal. ""You'd see the ground, the dirt, catch on fire. . . . If you slip, you'd be like a little pat of butter, melting away."" Hernandez was describing work at ASARCO El Paso, a smelter and onetime economic powerhouse situated in the city's heart just a few yards north of the Mexican border. For more than a century the smelter produced vast quantities of copper - along with millions of tons of toxins. During six of those years, the smelter also burned highly toxic industrial waste under the guise of processing copper, with dire consequences for worker and community health. Copper Stain is a history of environmental injustice, corporate malfeasance, political treachery, and a community fighting for its life. The book gives voice to nearly one hundred Mexican Americans directly affected by these events. Their frank and often heartrending stories, published here for the first time, evoke the grim reality of laboring under giant machines and lava-spewing furnaces while turning mountains of rock into copper ingots, all in service to an employer largely indifferent to workers' welfare. With horror and humor, anger, courage, and sorrow, the authors and their interviewees reveal how ASARCO subjected its employees and an unsuspecting public to pollution, diseases, and early death - with little in the way of compensation. Elaine Hampton and Cynthia C. Ontiveros weave this eloquent testimony into a cautionary tale of toxic exposure, community activism, and a corporate employer's dubious relationship with ethics - set against the political tug-of-war between industry's demands and government's obligation to protect the health of its people and the environment.

The Diverse Faces of Bacillus cereus elucidates all characteristics of this microorganism, from its environmental and ecologic relevance, to its veterinary involvement, its clinical settings, most common B. cereus associated food poisoning episodes, and the newest airway disease pictures mimicking the inhalation of anthrax. Due to its environmental distribution, B. cereus may cause serious, even fatal human diseases. The organism shows many diverse faces, as it is not only a veterinary pathogen, but also used as a biocontrol agent to control vegetable decay due to its natural antimicrobial properties. Once considered as a mere colonizer or contaminant, Bacillus cereus is nowadays acquiring increasing importance as an agent of nosocomial infections. The book's target audience is familiar with this opportunistic pathogen and will benefit from this clear compendium on the classical and molecular techniques and procedures that may be adopted or followed to correctly identify this intriguing multi-faceted microorganism.

Colloid and Interface Chemistry for Water Quality Control provides basic but essential knowledge of colloid and interface science for water and wastewater treatment. Divided into two sections, chapters 1 to 8 presents colloid chemistry including simple history and basic concepts, diffusion and Brown Motion, sedimentation, osmotic pressure, optical properties, rheology properties, electric properties, emulsion, foam and gel, and so on; chapters 9 to provides interface chemistry theories including the surface of liquid, the surface of solution, and the surface of solid. This valuable book is the only one that presents colloid and interface chemistry from the water quality control perspective. This book was written for graduate students in the area of water treatment and environmental engineering, and it could be used as the reference for researchers and engineers in the same area.

This open access book presents a nuanced and accessible synthesis of the relationship between land tenure security and sustainable development. Contributing authors have collectively worked for decades on land tenure as connected with conservation and development across all major regions of the globe. The first section of this volume is intended as a standalone primer on land tenure security and its connections with sustainable development. The book then explores key thematic challenges that interact directly with land tenure security, followed by a section on strategies for addressing tenure insecurity. The book concludes with a section on new frontiers in research, policy, and action. An invaluable reference for researchers in the field and for practitioners looking for a comprehensive overview of this important topic. This is an open access book.

Rural Water Systems for Multiple Uses and Livelihood Security covers the technological, institutional, and policy choices for building rural water supply systems that are sustainable from physical, economic, and ecological points-of-view in developing countries. While there is abundant theoretical discourse on designing village water supply schemes as multiple use systems, there is too little understanding of the type of water needs in rural households, how they vary across socio-economic and climatic settings, the extent to which these needs are met by the existing single use water supply schemes, and what mechanisms exist to take care of unmet demands. The case studies presented in the book from different agro ecological regions quantify these benefits under different agro ecological settings, also examining the economic and environmental trade-offs in maximizing benefits. This book demonstrates how various physical and socio-economic processes alter the hydrology of tanks in rural settings, thereby affecting their performance, also including quantitative criteria that can be used to select tanks suitable for rehabilitation.

Marine Paleobiodiversity presents a concise history, development and current status of paleobiodiversity research, thus forming a reference work for beginners, graduates and postgraduates, who are interested in this subject and intend venture into serious research. This book provides a link-reference between text book and highly-specialized journal articles, and so will be valuable for a wide audience of geologists and climatologists.

The surprising history of the Gowanus Canal and its role in the building of Brooklyn For more than 150 years, Brooklyn's Gowanus Canal has been called a cesspool, an industrial dumping ground, and a blemish on the face of the populous borough-as well as one of the most important waterways in the history of New York harbor. Yet its true origins, man-made character, and importance to the city have been largely forgotten. Now, New York writer and guide Joseph Alexiou explores how the Gowanus creek-a naturally-occurring tidal estuary that served as a conduit for transport and industry during the colonial era-came to play an outsized role in the story of America's greatest city. From the earliest Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam, to nearby Revolutionary War skirmishes, or the opulence of the Gilded Age mansions that sprung up in its wake, historical changes to the Canal and the neighborhood that surround it have functioned as a microcosm of the story of Brooklyn's rapid nineteenth-century growth. Highlighting the biographies of nineteenth-century real estate moguls like Daniel Richards and Edwin C. Litchfield, Alexiou recalls the forgotten movers and shakers that laid the foundation of modern-day Brooklyn. As he details, the pollution, crime, and industry associated with the Gowanus stretch back far earlier than the twentieth century, and helped define the culture and unique character of this celebrated borough. The story of the Gowanus, like Brooklyn itself, is a tale of ambition and neglect, bursts of creative energy, and an inimitable character that has captured the imaginations of city-lovers around the world.

Using a risk management approach to tease apart the complex issue of climate change, this book assesses the key vulnerabilities and redirects the discussion to present a comprehensive plan to overhaul our response to climate change. According to the 2014 U.S. Climate Report, temperatures might increase by 5 degrees even with aggressive strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and could increase by as much as 10 degrees if emissions continue unabated. The report also predicts increases in extreme weather caused by global warming will continue. It is time to apply the lessons of sustainable disaster mitigation and hazard resilience to respond to the challenges posed by global warming, identify and assess the options we have for addressing the crisis, and create a practical plan for managing the problem. Unlike other books on climate change, this one uniquely applies a risk management approach to answer the question, "Considering what our policies look like now, what do we need to do next to mitigate climate change?" Robert O. Schneider, PhD, explains how the warming climate will affect everything from peak temperatures and weather extremes to infrastructure such as groundwater reservoirs, airports, and wastewater systems, making the dire nature of the crisis clear to readers in practical and personal terms. By enabling readers to understand the scientific and historical contexts of the climate crisis, the author makes a compelling case for the urgency of implementing a national climate policy to respond to the challenges posed by global warming. Introduces a broader audience to climate change as a crisis already in motion that poses predictable risks and urgently requires public policy changes and the creation of a national climate policy Makes the "invisible crisis" of climate change visible and comprehensible by enabling readers to understand the problem in the context of hazard risk and risk management

Advances in Computers carries on a tradition of excellence, presenting detailed coverage of innovations in computer hardware, software, theory, design, and applications. The book provides contributors with a medium in which they can explore their subjects in greater depth and breadth than journal articles typically allow. The articles included in this book will become standard references, with lasting value in this rapidly expanding field.

Inherent Safety at Chemical Sites: Reducing Vulnerability to Accidents and Terrorism Through Green Chemistry highlights the use of green chemistry principles to identify and address serious threats and potential consequences caused by accidental and deliberate industrial chemical releases. Through valuable case studies, the book suggests wholesale replacements of hazardous chemicals with benign and inherently safer, or "greener," materials. More than physical security barriers and plans, such preventative measures better guarantee the safety of industrial employees and nearby residents. This valuable primer begins with an introduction to the concepts of green chemistry and outlines the various ways that a green approach to chemical design, production, and management is not only good for the planet, but also serves to protect people and infrastructure from terrorist acts. Specific examples and case studies are cited to illustrate what has been done to advance this cause, and offer guidance to those decision-makers who similarly aspire to greater safety and security for the people and resources they manage.

Biodynamic agriculture first originated in central Europe but is now practised in farms, vineyards and gardens all over the world. At the heart of the biodynamic approach are the eight preparations -- Horn manure, Horn silica, Yarrow, Chamomile, Nettle, Oak bark, Dandelion and Valerian -- which are often produced by local biodynamic practitioners using well-established recipes. But as the biodynamic approach expands beyond its European origins, its methods have been increasingly adapted to meet the needs and challenges -- climates, fauna, seasons and regulations -- of different regions around the globe. This fascinating book presents the results of a unique study, carried out by the Agricultural Section at the Goetheanum, Switzerland, into how the biodynamic preparations are used in fifteen countries worldwide, including Egypt, Brazil, New Zealand, India and across Europe. The detailed case studies explore how the preparations are modified to suit their locations, as well as offering an insight into the work of each practitioner and how their understanding has evolved over the years. Contributors include Ueli Hurter, Dr. R. Ingold, Dr. M. Kolar, J. Schoenfelder, Dr. A. Sedlmayr and A. van Leewen. This book is a valuable reference into the production and application of the preparations around the world and an inspiring endorsement of how biodynamic principles hold true in such varied environments.

In today's society, businesses are being pressured to play a more active role in addressing global environmental, social, and economic issues. Therefore, a considerable shift in the functional components of enterprises is required to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. SMEs play a vital role in countries' socio-economic structures, and the importance of SMEs is increasingly recognized as a factor of economic stability and social cohesion. In order to ensure SMEs are appropriately utilized to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, further study is required. Examining the Vital Financial Role of SMEs in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals highlights the challenges and opportunities of using the concepts of economic sustainability to achieve sustainability goals as well as the role SMEs play in developing sustainable practices. The book also discusses how finance sustainability can be used to improve the stability of policies. Covering topics such as blockchain, corporate social responsibility, and performance management practices, this reference work is ideal for business owners, policymakers, researchers, scholars, academicians, practitioners, instructors, and students.

Rare Earths elements are composed of 15 chemical elements in the periodic table. Scandium and yttrium have similar properties, with mineral assemblages, and are therefore referred alike in the literature. Although abundant in the planet surface, the Rare Earths are not found in concentrated forms, thus making them economically valued as they are so challenging to obtain. Rare Earths Industry: Technological, Economic and Environmental Implications provides an interdisciplinary orientation to the topic of Rare Earths with a focus on technical, scientific, academic, economic, and environmental issues. Part I of book deals with the Rare Earths Reserves and Mining, Part II focuses on Rare Earths Processes and High-Tech Product Development, and Part III deals with Rare Earths Recycling Opportunities and Challenges. The chapters provide updated information and priceless analysis of the theme, and they seek to present the latest techniques, approaches, processes and technologies that can reduce the costs of compliance with environmental concerns in a way it is possible to anticipate and mitigate emerging problems.

Research presented at the 7th International Conference on Disaster Management and Human Health: Reducing Risk, Improving Outcomes is contained in this volume. These contributions from academics and experts focus on public health, security and disaster management with the goal to assess the potential risk from various types of disaster and highlight ways to prevent or alleviate any damage. There is a need for academia and practitioners to exchange knowledge and experience on the way to handle the increasing risk of natural and human-made disasters. Recent major earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods and other natural phenomena have resulted in huge losses in terms of human life and property destruction. A new range of human-made disasters have afflicted humanity in modern times; terrorist activities have been added to more classical disasters such as those due to the failure of industrial installations for instance. It is important to understand the nature of these global risks to be able to develop strategies to prepare for these events and plan effective responses in terms of disaster management and the associated human health impacts. The papers included in this volume cover such topics as Public health risk; Socio-economic issues; Environmental issues; Emergency preparedness and risk mitigation.

Urban DC Microgrid: Intelligent Control and Power Flow Optimization focuses on microgrids for urban areas, particularly associated with building-integrated photovoltaic and renewable sources. This book describes the most important problems of DC microgrid application, with grid-connected and off-grid operating modes, aiming to supply DC building distribution networks. The book considers direct current (DC) microgrid to supply DC building distribution networks for positive energy buildings; dynamic interactions with the utility grid based on communication with the smart grid; supervisory control systems; and energy management. The global power system is exposed and the DC microgrid system is presented and analyzed with results and discussion, highlighting both the advantages and limitations of the concept. Coverage at the system level of microgrid control as well as the various technical aspects of the power system components make this a book interesting to academic researchers, industrial energy researchers, electrical power and power system professionals.

This book presents an overview of current renewable energy sources, challenges and future trends. Drawing from their longtime expertise and deep knowledge of the field, the authors present a critic and well-structured perspective on sustainable power sources and technologies, including solar, wind, hydrogen and nuclear, both in large and small scale. Using accessible language they provide rigorous technological reviews and analyze the main issues of practical usage. The book addresses current questions in this area, such as: "Is there enough biomass to make a difference in energy needs? Should biomass be used in Energy Generation?"; "How mature is battery technology? Will it finally become cost effective, and will it make a significant difference this next decade?"; "How big a role will small and modular nuclear power generation play in the coming decades?"; "What will be the influence of national tax policies?". No prior technical knowledge is assumed of the reader. It is, therefore, ideal for professionals and students in all areas of energy and power systems, as well as those involved in energy planning, management and policy.

Halophytes for Food Security in Dry Lands addresses the concerns surrounding global food scarcity, especially focusing on those living in arid and dry lands The book touches on food crises in dry regions of the world and proposes halophytes as an alternate source of consumption for such areas. Halophytes, those plants that thrive in saline soil and provide either food source options themselves, or positively enhance an eco-system's ability to produce food, and are thus an important and increasingly recognized option for addressing the needs of the nearly 1/6 of the world's population that lives in these arid and semi-arid climates. Including presentations from the 2014 International Conference on Halophytes for Food Security in Dry Lands, this book features insights from the leading researchers in the subject. It is a valuable resource that includes information on the nutritional value of halophytes, their genetic basis and potential enhancement, adaption of halophytes, and lessons learned thus far.