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A global journey to find the sources of all the stuff in one man’s life—and its social and environmental footprint
Where does everything in our daily lives come from? The clothes on our backs, the computers on our desks, the cabinets in our kitchens, and the spices behind their doors? Under what conditions—environmental and social—are they harvested or manufactured?
In Confessions of an Eco-Sinner, Fred Pearce shows us the hidden worlds that sustain a Western lifestyle, and he does it by examining the sources of everything in his own life; as an ordinary citizen of the Western world, he, like all of us, is an “eco-sinner.” In conversational and convivial prose, Pearce surveys his home and then starts out on a global tour to track down, among other things, the Kenyans who grow and harvest his fair trade coffee (which isn’t as fair as one might hope), the women in the Bangladeshi sweat shops who sew his jeans, and the Chinese factory cities where the world’s computers are made. It’s a fascinating portrait, by turns sobering and hopeful, of the effects the world’s more than 6 billion inhabitants—all eating, consuming, making—have on our planet, and of the working and living conditions of the people who produce most of these goods.
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300 stunning before-and-after photographs that show the staggering transformation of our world. Earth Then and Now records the dramatic way our planet has changed over the past century. On one page is a specific part of the world as it was 5, 20, 50 or even 100 years ago. On the facing page is the same place as it looks today. Each stark visual comparison tells a compelling story -- a melting glacier, an expanding desert, an encroaching cityscape, a natural disaster. Earth Then and Now reminds us that nothing is without a cost. Highly topical and thought provoking chapters in this book include: - Environmental change: Bearing witness to the effects of global warming
- Industrialization: Revealing the hidden costs of "progress"
- Urbanization: Showing the effects of our spreading cities
- Natural disasters: Reminding us of the power of nature
- War: Using comparisons to show the impact of armed conflict
- Travel and tourism: Illustrating the predatory nature of development.
Concise captions explain the facts and then allow the reader to draw personal conclusions. Anyone concerned about the environment will enjoy and appreciate Earth Then and Now. (2008)...
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300 stunning before-and-after photographs that show the staggering transformation of our world. Earth Then and Now records the dramatic way our planet has changed over the past century. On one page is a specific part of the world as it was 10, 50 or even 100 years ago. On the facing page is the same place as it looks today. Each stark visual comparison tells a compelling story a melting glacier, an expanding desert, an encroaching cityscape, a natural disaster. Earth Then and Now reminds us that nothing is without a cost. Highly topical and thought provoking chapters include: - Environmental change: Bearing witness to the effects of global warming
- Industrialization: Revealing the hidden costs of "progress"
- Urbanization: Showing the effects of our spreading cities
- Natural disasters: Reminding us of the power of nature
- War: Using comparisons to show the impact of armed conflict
- Travel and tourism: Illustrating the predatory nature of development.
Concise captions explain the facts and then allow the reader to draw personal conclusions. Anyone concerned about the environment will enjoy and appreciate Earth Then and Now. (200708)...
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In this groundbreaking book, veteran science correspondent Fred Pearce travels to more than thirty countries to examine the current state of crucial water sources. Deftly weaving together the complicated scientific, economic, and historic dimensions of the world water crisis, he provides our most complete portrait yet of this growing danger and its ramifications for us all.
“A strong—and scary—case that a worldwide water shortage is the most fearful looming environmental crisis. With a drumbeat of facts both horrific (thousands of wells in India and Bangladesh are poisoned by fluoride and arsenic) and fascinating (it takes 20 tons of water to make one pound of coffee), the former New Scientist news editor documents a ‘kind of cataclysm’ already affecting many of the world’s great rivers.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Oil we can replace. Water we can’t—which is why this book is both so ominous and so important.” —Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature
“An enriching and farsighted work.” —Jai Singh, San Francisco Chronicle
“Pearce cogently presents the alarming ways in which this ecological emergency is affecting population centers, human health, food production, wildlife habitats, and species viability. Having crisscrossed the globe to research the economic, scientific, cultural, and political causes and ramifications of this under publicized tragedy, Pearce’s powerful imagery, penetrating analyses, and passionate advocacy make this required reading for environmental proponents and civic leaders everywhere.” —Booklist
“If you want to quickly get up to date on climate change and its consequences, I recommend With Speed and Violence: Why Scientists Fear Tipping Points in Climate Change. If you can read only one book on climate change, this is it.” —Lester Brown, president, Earth Policy Institute
“. . . perhaps it is time for you to spend some time with Fred Pearce and his wonderful When the Rivers Run Dry.” —Daily Kos, July Review
Fred Pearce has been writing about water issues for over twenty years. A former news editor at New Scientist and currently its environment and development consultant, he has also written for Audubon, Popular Science, Time, the Boston Globe, and Natural History. His books include With Speed and Violence, Turning Up the Heat, and Deep Jungle. ...
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Fred Pearce has been writing about climate change for twenty years, and the more he learns, the worse things look. As Pearce began researching this book, numerous scientists sought him out to recount their findings and fears: where once they were concerned about gradual climate change, many now worry that we will soon be experiencing abrupt change resulting from triggering tipping points. With Speed and Violence is the most up-to-date and readable book yet about the constantly accumulating evidence for global warming and the dramatic effects it may unleash.
"[Pearce's] grasp of [scientists'] work is exceptional. What's more, he has a talent for explaining science in terms understandable to the nonscientist . . . This enjoyable read was difficult to put down." —Library Journal, starred review
"If you want to quickly get up to date on climate change and its consequences, I recommend With Speed and Violence. If you can read only one book on climate change, this is it." —Lester Brown, president, Earth Policy Institute ...
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In Confessions of an Eco-Sinner, Fred Pearce surveys his home and then sets out to track down the people behind the production and distribution of everything in his daily life, from his socks to his computer to the food in his fridge. It’s a fascinating portrait, by turns sobering and hopeful, of the effects the world’s more than six billion inhabitants have on our planet—and of the working and living conditions of the people who produce most of these goods.
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